David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry I have not been in the House for the past month but I was in hospital having a couple of operations for cancer, which I think were successful.

I would like to raise first the remarkable work of Les Martin, which I have drawn to the attention of the House previously, with regard to screening for genetic disorders in children. There has been a report from the national screening advisory committee but, unfortunately, it still leaves responsibility for applying for new conditions to be included with the public and patient organisations. That is extremely lazy. The committee should be doing it. It is up to the Government to do these things. When is the report the Minister promised me due and how will legislation progress?

With regard to metachromatic leukyodystrophy, MLD, one of the conditions Les Martin did not ask to be included because no treatment was available, there now is treatment so it is a condition that can be included.

There are four considerable points to be made. First, we should be helping patients to get a final diagnosis faster. Second, we should be increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals. Third, there should be better co-ordination of care. Fourth, we should improve access to specialist care treatment and drugs. That is particularly important because this is rare disease week, as I am sure the Leader knows. I draw her attention to a report by EURORDIS Rare Diseases Europe, of which I am sure the Minister is aware.

I raise the issue of hedge cutting during the bird nesting season. It is interesting that between 5% and 7% of the land area of the country is covered by hedgerow, which is a considerable amount. Between 2018 and 2020, at least 3,000 km of hedgerow and verges were cut by local authorities during the prohibited season, at a cost of over €1.4 million. Unfortunately, we do not have the true figure because no accurate records are kept. That is deplorable. Nearly all cases were carried out on road safety grounds. However, local authorities were unable to provide documents on road safety assessments carried out. That is extraordinary. They are giving the reason, yet there are no statistics available to support it, particularly when we take into account that in counties such as Tipperary and Donegal it turned out that less than 1% of roadside hedgerow posed a safety risk. That is an issue that needs the attention of the Government.