Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I do a lot of work with nutritionists and dieticians. Recently some people contacted me about low-protein foods, a very specific issue that affects a relatively small sector of the population. Nonetheless it is very important to those individuals. The lack of availability of low-protein foods is very serious for those with metabolic illnesses.

Approximately one in every 45,000 babies born in Ireland is diagnosed with phenylketonuria, PKU, and approximately one in every 65,000 babies born in Ireland is born with homocystinuria HCU. Both are very rare genetic disorders causing the body to be incapable of breaking down amino acids, which are present in protein foods. This is a metabolic disorder and patients must manage their lifelong illnesses with a low-protein diet to prevent neurological damage.

Obtaining low-protein food products is proving to be increasingly difficult in Ireland. I recently received information from an individual two of whose children are suffering from HCU. Prescribed low-protein foods are crucial to managing their diets. This individual is becoming increasingly frustrated as not only are low-protein foods not readily available in local shops, but there is also a lack of high-quality low-protein food products in the Irish market in general or on the long-term illness card.

Given that prescribed low-protein foods are required to prevent neurological damage and to supplement the diets of adults and children with PKU and HCU, why have no low-protein products been added to the long-term illness card list in more than six years? I ask the Minister for Health to ensure a full and appropriate list of foods prescribed for PKU and HCU is added to the reimbursement list.