Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have endeavoured to get the Minister for transport to come into the House. We are all aware of the specific issue with the Aer Lingus pension scheme which is ongoing. All of us hope industrial action can be averted in this instance, but the Minister's response to the chairman of the Retired Aviation Staff Association, Mr. Arthur McSweeney, who represents thousands of retired workers in Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority and what was SR Technics was not helpful. The RASA wrote to the Minister on 11 January seeking a meeting with him to put forward its case and the Minister's private secretary wrote back on 20 February.

The letter stated:

I refer to your letter dated 11^thJanuary 2014 regarding your request for a meeting. [There was no apology for the almost eight-week delay in responding.]
Due to a heavy schedule of existing commitments, the Minister is not in a position to facilitate a meeting.
Yours sincerely,

No wonder we are in this difficulty in regard to Aer Lingus and the pending industrial action when the Minister will not even meet the stakeholders involved. Will the Leader request that the Minister meet the Retired Aviation Staff Association?

Before the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, puts his two big feet in it again in regard to his new tax, universal health insurance, which will cost every adult in this State €1,600 per year, can we have a proper debate in the House? I know a paper has gone from the Minister to his Cabinet colleagues and I understand from media reports, whether true or not, that it has not met with a favourable response from many of them and that it lacks the detail required. I remind Members that people are already paying for health insurance and for access to the health system through their normal taxes. I cannot understand how the Minister can say adults should pay €1,600 extra per year for what is, effectively, compulsory health insurance. When he is ready, the Minister needs to come forward with a plan to be discussed in the House. Will the Leader request that of him?

I raise a specific and important matter in regard to the drug payment scheme and I ask that the Leader, through his good offices, support my request in this regard. I received a letter from a 50-year-old woman who has been suffering from multiple sclerosis for the past eight years. She said that a year and a half ago she was put on a trial drug called Fampyra by her consultant, which aids walking. She said she has found this drug very beneficial and that it helps her to lift her foot and prevent her from falling. She said she and her husband recently learned the shocking news that the HSE will not fund this drug from July 2014 and, to add insult to injury, it will not be available under the drug payment scheme but that it will be available privately at an approximate cost of €280 per month. As she has had to give up nursing and as her husband-----