Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Somebody is telling lies here. I understand that Vertex has agreed a price with the Department since the original pricing was given in 2019, yet the Department is saying otherwise. That is why I submitted a freedom of information, FOI, request on this. I wanted to see the correspondence. Vertex has told me it has tried to negotiate with the Department on this. It has given many pricing options and it reverted to the original agreement that was made.

The Minister of State's prepared reply is nothing; it is rubbish. The Department has left 35 children without this drug that is vital to their care. It is a matter of life or death. I know how important it is because I have seen many young people, particularly girls, die from cystic fibrosis early in life, but the Department is prepared to gamble with their lives and tell them they need to submit an assessment. It is not good enough, certainly not for those families, and the Department cannot gamble with those children's lives.