Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of the Versatis pain patches debacle. Deputy Micheál Martin raised this issue on Tuesday only to be told by the Taoiseach that a process of appeals has been put in place. I have examples of specific cases. In one such case a person in Mallow named Catherine Carroll has gone through the appeals process. As we speak, she is in excruciating pain such that she has said, "It’s gotten to the stage where I’ve asked the doctor is it possible to cut off my nerve endings, because, even though I’d end up paralysed, at least I wouldn’t be in pain". That is a real person. I ask the Minister, Deputy Harris, if the Government will give time in this House to further discuss this issue. People have gone through the appeals process and been rejected. They have nowhere else to go to alleviate their pain. It is still very much a live issue. My request is simple. We need to have further deliberation on this issue. There were some deliberations on it in the Seanad yesterday but we need to have the Minister before the House because there are further questions to be answered on behalf of people such as Catherine Carroll. She is not an outlier or exception, rather she is within the range of patients who are suffering.

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