Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his ongoing interest in the issue of rare diseases and orphan medicines. He and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, are two of the strongest advocates in the House on these issues. There was a change in the Revised Estimate in December in which we allocated a certain amount - I cannot recall the exact amount - for new medicines. It was not specifically for rare diseases but for new medicines generally. That means the HSE can approve new medicines out of the dedicated fund and from savings in the drugs budget more widely. I agree with the Deputy that it is important, when it comes to the strategies we produce, that we provide the funding to implement them. I know it has been a source of a lot of frustration, particularly in healthcare. There are some very good strategies and models of care but not always the funds to fully implement them.

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