Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise once again the issue of rare diseases. I am fully aware of the budgetary pressures involving the Department of Health in recent weeks. However, I feel this is an issue that warrants raising again. I raised with the Taoiseach earlier this year that there was an underspend for 2022, particularly in the area of new drugs. I received a response to a parliamentary question to the effect that approximately €10 million was drawn down of the €30 million allocated for 2022. I am concerned that with this budget, we are now looking at no allocation for new drugs. There will be no new medicines budget, no implementation of the recommendations for newborn screening and no resourcing of the European reference networks, which are already understaffed. I would appreciate the Taoiseach's input.

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