Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

It is simple, because in the Department of Health and the HSE the Minister acted only when the issue was raised on the public airways day after day. Please do not tell me the Department was planning to introduce the drug. As the Minister of State said at the beginning of her contribution that she is rejecting the Bill, there is no point in making a plea for her to accept it. The manner in which it is being rejected is extremely disappointing. I ask the Minister of State to convey that message to the Minister, Deputy James Reilly. When Senator MacSharry comes back in I am sure he will raise some points. The Bill seeks access to cancer treatment. Some of the points made by the Minister of State are obvious such as that many drugs have serious side effects. Of course they do, we know that. Let us examine the case of how drugs are assessed already and when they can go out on the market. Some patients are different than others.

In his opening remarks Senator MacSharry asked that the Bill be allowed go to Committee Stage and that amendments be made but it was rejected flat out. The view of my party is that it is rejected on erroneous terms. The Government's approach is, frankly, insulting. I ask Members who have not read the Minister of State's script to read it. I do not blame the Minister of State. I ask Members opposite to take off the party cap and read it and then read the Bill and what it seeks to achieve.