Dáil debates

Thursday, 16 May 2019

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

11:55 am

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The process is broken if we and Estonia are the only countries in Europe that have not approved use of this drug. The Minister, Deputy Harris, bypassed this process with his approval of the pembrolizumab drug. The process is broken when nobody is answerable to families or public representatives - those of us with a mandate - on the reason for delays. Delays matter and when somebody has this condition, every hour and every day without access to this drug matters; it is an hour and a day in pain. However, nobody seems to have to answer for this.

When I spoke to some of the families this morning, they anticipated virtually every word of the Tánaiste's response. He spoke about cost-effectiveness but they are looking at what is happening with the national children's hospital and overruns on the HSE's watch everywhere. They are looking at their children suffering because a faceless operation that answers to nobody is not taking responsibility for a decision. A precedent was created with the pembrolizumab drug and it is time for politicians to take charge.

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