Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo the sentiments of my colleagues in wishing the Minister and Minister of State well in their new jobs. The story I want to relate was told on Galway Bay FM last Friday by Professor John Carey, a consultant in rheumatology in Galway county. He shared a very poignant and difficult story about a young mum in her 30s with a young child of 18 months. She had a severe arthritic condition called enteropathic arthritis. That debilitating condition has completely wrecked her life. Before the illness she was a vibrant and functioning member of society, a mother and an active contributor to her community. With the right combination of medications, she was able to regain her health, return to work and take back her life. However, when the original treatment plan began to lose its effectiveness, her medical team developed a new dual therapy approach to restore her quality of life. One of these critical medications was subsequently revoked by the HSE because it could not approve the combination, leaving her without the treatment she so desperately needed. Over the course of a few months, her condition deteriorated so drastically that she is now profoundly disabled, unable to manage basic daily tasks or care for her 18-month-old child. Of course, this is not a criticism of the healthcare professionals or the HSE, which has historically been incredibly supportive in providing access to advanced care and expensive treatments. I am genuinely appreciative of that.

It is vital that our policies remain flexible and patient-focused. Exceptional cases need exceptional solutions. As we look to the future of healthcare in Ireland, our goal must be clear. When a treatment exists that can transform a life, we must find a mechanism to make it accessible, balancing budgetary realities with compassion and common sense. Professor Carey's story is not just about one patient. It is about the need for clear pathways that allow clinical experts to advocate for their patients. It is about ensuring our healthcare system is agile enough to respond to unique situations with empathy and urgency.

See this speech in context