Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)

I do not normally talk about my personal life in the House but today I will. I am one of over 10,000 people in this country with multiple sclerosis, MS. I was diagnosed with MS 18 years ago. The past two years have probably been the most challenging of those 18 years but right now I am probably in the best physical and mental condition I have been in for a long time. I have been critical in the past of how to get into the system for treatment but I want to commend the neurology team in Tallaght hospital on the record because, once I managed to get into the system, their care was excellent.

The reason I am speaking about this today is that tomorrow begins MS awareness month. I will do 150 km throughout May for MS Ireland to raise awareness and support for people like me living with MS. Will the Government complete the national roll-out of community neurorehabilitation teams as committed to in the programme for Government?

See this speech in context