Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Today I will raise an issue on behalf of the Irish Haemochromatosis Association. Haemochromatosis is a common hereditary iron overload disorder and one in 83 Irish people are predisposed to have this condition. More than 20,000 Irish people have already been diagnosed with haemochromatosis and there are still well over another 20,000 people in Ireland who are undiagnosed. The most common symptoms are chronic fatigue and joint pain. Anyone who is concerned about same should go to their GP to get a ferritin test.

What is of major concern is that every time people with haemochromatosis go to get what is called a venesection, where their blood is cleaned, it costs €80. This has to be done up to 100 times per year. It is of major concern to people who do not have a medical card or health insurance. These people should not be charged for this and should be treated in the same way as those on dialysis or receiving chemotherapy. The long-term illness scheme is very outdated and does not take into account many illnesses which we now have much more information on, such as haemochromatosis. I ask the Leader to relay this matter to the Minister to consider waiving this €80 fee.

I refer to the schoolboys trapped in the cave in Thailand. I commend the boys for their resilience and the rescuers for their perseverance and professionalism in risking their own lives to save these boys. The eyes of the world are on this situation. I understand that to date there are two boys left in the cave as well as their coach, some rescuers and an army doctor. We also send our sympathies over the diver who lost his life trying to rescue these boys and we hope that this ends as a happy story and they all come out safely.

I mention the visit of Mr. Harry Windsor and Ms Meghan Markle to Ireland. I hope we all wish them a céad míle fáilte and that they have a lovely time visiting our beautiful country.