Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. Three weeks ago, I was invited to a house in my constituency to meet a person suffering from Parkinson's disease. When I got there, I found out that three people in that family have Parkinson's disease. The sad thing is that I could not advise them where to go. The only help I could offer them was Tony Wilkinson. I hope he is tuning in to these proceedings because he has done Trojan work on behalf of Parkinson's sufferers throughout the country. I think the Minister met him outside the gates of Leinster House last week. The only person I could send them to was a person who himself suffers from Parkinson's. He is an expert and a genuine person who gives hours every day trying to help people but he is not a specialised nurse and should not be treated as such. People with Parkinson's are suffering from falls, costing the State millions of euro, but they could get a little help if specialised nurses are put in place, whether in Cork or throughout the country. I would appreciate it if that were addressed straight away.

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