Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Social Democrats for tabling this very worthy motion. I will be supporting it. I support everything that has been said so far. The family of Padraig and Elaine Clifford have paid a very high price, leaving four children behind them. This young couple died within four months of each other.

I wish to highlight the plight of Karin O'Shea, a 27-year-old girl from Kilgarvan who is a personal friend of our family and best friends with my daughter, Theresa. I even brought her to school. This girl has gone around with Lyme disease undiagnosed for more than 12 years. The problem is that the Department does not recognise Lyme disease and will not accept results of blood tests from Germany or other countries. Testing in Ireland is inaccurate. We have only one Lyme disease consultant here. That individual can only offer antibiotics. Irish patients have no other option but to seek treatment abroad. Such treatment is not covered by the cross-border treatment abroad scheme because general practitioners here are not allowed to sign off on it. There is not enough education about ticks in Ireland. Many people are going around with undiagnosed Lyme disease. Not everyone comes out in a bull's eye rash. More must be done to educate people about other symptoms, like muscle pain, tiredness and headaches, because early diagnosis can make a big difference in curing this terrible disease. This lovely girl's whole life is in turmoil. She had to give up her job teaching at St. Brendan's College in Killarney. The cost of four weeks' treatment in Germany is €35,000 and she has embarked on a GoFundMe campaign to help her access this treatment.

See this speech in context