Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I appreciate where the Senator is coming from and I appreciate the challenges the diagnosis of a rare disease poses for an individual and his or her family. I do not believe the long-term illness scheme is the appropriate way to address some of these issues. The long-term illness, LTI, scheme relates to 15 particular chronic illnesses that affect significant cohorts of the population. The intention was to relieve the cost of the additional medication associated with those conditions. The appropriate way to address rare diseases is through the clinical programme, as outlined in the reply, and also in terms of the steering group which is due to report to the Minister. I do not say for a moment that we do not recognise the difficulties associated with rare diseases, but action is under way to address them in a way that is specific to the rare condition itself.