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

I fully agree with the Minister of State in this regard. In fairness, the project in the CHO 2 area is working very effectively. It clearly sets out that progress is being made. Let us look at the figures. The 9,000 people who suffer with MS will account for 54,000 GP visits, approximately 16,450 nights in hospital and approximately 1,544 emergency department attendances per annum. Their challenge is not only that they have to suffer, but their families who are providing support have to be catered for as well. This is a clear, positive proposal for reducing the number of people attending accident and emergency departments and GPs and the number of nights they have to spend in hospital. Every night someone spends in hospital means a bed is not available for someone else.

MS Ireland has set out a clear business case, which it has researched very well. It is working on what has occurred in the area in which it has a physiotherapist working. In one of the other areas, which I believe is CHO 3, a physiotherapist is working three quarters of a week. Assistance is being provided in that area and it is proving to be extremely beneficial to MS sufferers. MS Ireland has pioneered, progressed and developed this proposal and is pushing for it. It has set out a clear plan involving one physiotherapist in each of the nine CHO areas. This would have benefits across the country for people who have MS. As the Minister of State knows, once MS is diagnosed, there is no healthcare plan that can resolve the issue. People will require continuing care and support. Now is the time to put in place this plan.

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