Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to the House and thank her for coming her to facilitate this debate. I particularly pay tribute to Senators Mary Ann O'Brien and Averil Power for giving us the opportunity to discuss the issue, highlighting the numbers of people who suffer from this condition. I welcome the representatives of the Asthma Society of Ireland and compliment them on the information that has been supplied. I am pleased to inform them that I helped with their recent church gate collection in my home town of Ballinasloe and we got a fantastic response.

I did not realise the very significant numbers of people who suffer from asthma and we all know somebody who is affected. I certainly did not realise it reached approximately 500,000 people, with a very significant cost borne by the health service. It is estimated that 50,000 people use the GP out-of-hours services for the treatment of acute asthma every year, with 19,000 people visiting accident and emergency departments because of acute asthma. There are 5,000 people admitted to intensive care because of the condition. It is worrying that one person per week dies as a result of an asthma attack, but the good news is that 90% of those are preventable if services are provided and resources are made available. It is very encouraging that people with asthma can lead a very full life, hold full-time occupations and participate in sport at the very highest level. These are the positives. The Government in recent times has provided GP care for those under six, which eases the burden on families. That will be extended to those under 12, and those over 70 already have free GP care.

A previous speaker referred to a negative in the form of medication costs. Nobody has explained to me logically why the cost of medicine is so high in this country. I was out of the country for a few days in the summer and I met a number of people on the flight whose main purpose for taking a break in the sun was to purchase medication for various conditions at a fraction of the cost here. They paid only approximately a third of the cost that we would pay in Ireland for the same medication. I cannot rationalise the issue so perhaps the Minister of State will refer to the matter in her response.

Much has been achieved in recent years in heightening awareness of and assisting people with asthma. We need to set some priorities for 2016. The model of care for asthma is due to be launched in the next few months, and the resourcing of that model of care must be a priority for the Government and its successor in a few months. We must create awareness and implement the national clinical guidelines for the management of acute asthma attacks in adults. Integrated care services for patients with asthma must become a priority for the Government. Senator Power referred to educational programmes for young people in schools in order that asthma in young people can be detected early. Young people must be made aware of how to minimise the impact of asthma and how to seek assistance and medical care at an early stage. We want to ensure that nobody in future will lose his or her life as a result of an asthma attack and we want to minimise the impact of asthma on the health services. We want to see a reduction in the number of days lost at work and earnings forgone by parents as a result of having to take children with asthma to hospital in emergency cases. The loss of production to the country is also significant. We can work together as politicians to ensure resources are provided, with help and assistance made available. The limited resources available to the State should be used in the most effective manner.

I compliment Senators Mary Ann O'Brien and Averil Power on bringing forward the motion. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response.I hope she will have positive news to impart to the House and to everybody adversely affected by asthma in this country.