Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I am concerned about the definition of "imminently", the last word he used. Are we talking about today or next week? Rare diseases day is next Tuesday and I wonder whether the report can be published beforehand. It is not just about publishing the report but also about implementing the changes required. Ireland ranks 26th out of 34 countries in Europe on the time taken to roll out new drugs, in particular, new drugs for people with rare diseases. The pharmaceutical industry is a huge employer in this country.

It is five years since this issue came before the health committee. I was involved in drafting the final report and I put a lot of time and effort into working with others to produce that report. I never thought I would have to wait five years to see the report's recommendations being implemented. The review has been done and the Minister of State has said it will be published. The next issue is to have a timeline for implementing the changes required. It is no longer acceptable to wait for 789 days. It is time for change and time to put in place a structure.

I have raised this previously. In Scotland there is a good system. It makes sure the drug is made available in a timely manner. This is about saving lives. It is a money issue in the sense that we have to get value for money but it is also about saving lives. That is the important thing that we need to keep in mind in dealing with this. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the report will be made available and to talk to his colleagues about the implementation and full delivery of the recommendations of that report.

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