Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Government has said it is committed to universal healthcare and to ending the two-tier health system. However, Professor John Crown highlighted recently the shocking situation where people with cancer, specifically stage III melanoma, cannot get the optimum healthcare - the drug pembrolizumab - and other potentially life-saving drugs because they do not have private health insurance, or do not have a particular form of private health insurance. In the last week, I received an email from a man whose wife has stage III melanoma and who has been told she cannot get this life-saving drug because she has the wrong private health insurance cover.

I think that is utterly outrageous. Does the Taoiseach agree it is utterly outrageous that whether people gain access to the best cancer treatment, potentially life-saving treatment, should depend on whether or not they have private health insurance, or have particular private health insurance?

If the Taoiseach does not think it is acceptable, what does he intend to do about it? The person who emailed me says his wife needs this treatment now. If she does not get it, her life expectancy will be compromised.

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