Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is a very serious issue for young Michael and his parents, Jean and Teddy. The objective is, and should be, that this young child gets the very best of treatment for that young child that guarantees the best outcome and enables him to live a reasonable quality of life. From what the Deputy has said, that has not materialised from the health service. I do not have the individual background to the case, but I will follow it up. The Deputy has identified a very rare condition. In addition to being on what I think he said was the serious end of the autism spectrum, the fact that Michael has a rare condition with significant implications for gastro health seems to suggest he needs a referral and to be treated in the national centre in Crumlin and, eventually, in the new children's hospital. That requires a certain level of expertise that would only be provided in a national centre with a level of gastro expertise that would not be available in every centre in the country similar to cardiac, cancer or other major issues or, indeed, other rare diseases that affect different organs of the body. One needs that access.

The point the Deputy legitimately raised is that once those appointments happen and the requisite level of expertise is applied to the case, there should be a facility whereby whatever is prescribed or whatever programme is outlined for young Michael should be communicated, certainly to CUH, in order that there could be intermittent reviews and so on and a linkage with Crumlin in respect of how young Michael is treated and so forth.

The rarity of the condition is such that expert advice is needed. I will follow up the case on the Deputy's behalf to see if additional external expertise could be brought to bear on the case. The Deputy will appreciate I am not fully au faitwith the case but I will follow up on it.

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