Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Leader may have spotted a number of families standing outside the building today. They seek to raise awareness of Lyme disease. In my own county of Donegal as many as 60 persons have come forward to highlight the fact that they have been diagnosed with Lyme disease. There is resistance in the community of medical professionals to acknowledge the prevalence of Lyme disease as a real issue, particularly chronic Lyme disease.

I shall briefly share one story. A mother talked to me about what happened to her daughter who was a gymnast. The mother showed me a picture of the two of them standing in front of Leinster House earlier this year. Her daughter has endured excruciating pain in almost every part of her body, her hair has fallen out and eventually she was confined to a wheelchair. Medical professionals advised her mother that the ailments were all in her daughter's head, which is outrageous. People from all across Ireland have come forward to tell us that medical professionals have told them that their ailments are a figment of their imagination just because they cannot attribute the symptoms to rheumatology, neurology or whatever. We have to do better.

Tick Talk Ireland is a group that has emerged to represent people from across Ireland who suffer chronic Lyme disease. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to meet the delegation so that he can hear their stories and, thus, understand the issue. I would also like Opposition spokespersons on health to attend the same meeting. I ask the Leader to make that request on behalf of the House today, which I am sure he will support.

I wish to again mention Jadotville. I call on the Leader to arrange a meeting with the Minister in order to resolve the matter.

Finally, I wish to mention the presentation of 1916 medals to the fire and rescue service, which is only fair. Firemen from different parts of Ireland have raised this matter with me. The Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána and the National Ambulance Service received 1916 commemorative medals. The only front-line emergency service to be omitted was the fire and rescue service. Fire and rescue personnel should get a medal, even retrospectively. They want the medal. I ask the Leader to report back to me about the matter. I have raised the matter three times without a response. No progress has been made. Instead, people have passed the buck claiming the matter is not their responsibility. We need somebody to take control and admit that it was a mistake or an oversight but one that will be remedied. That is all we are asking for here.