Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join other Members in congratulating the Cathaoirleach and all members of staff on the very suitable and excellent commemorative event yesterday in Leinster House to commemorate Seanad 100.

Senators, including me as recently as last week, have raised the issue of the drug, Kaftrio. I ask that the Minister for Health come to the House and present an update to us. That would be opportune because there is still an issue with access to treatment for young people with cystic fibrosis. I will not read it to the House but I have an email from a family in Cork concerned about their daughter and the issue of the HSE and Vertex still not reaching an agreement. It is important that progress is made on that. I ask that the Minister come to the House as a matter of urgency on that.

I also raise the issue of catering on Irish Rail's Cork-Dublin intercity service and at Kent Station. I welcome that Cork Airport will have a new café, called Lemon Pepper, with locally produced foods. It is long overdue. That gives me the segue into the fact that AMT Coffee in Cork's Kent Station has gone into administration. This means the travelling public cannot go to a café or coffee shop in the train station to buy coffee, tea or whatever they wish to buy to take on board a train. I heard Barry Kenny of Irish Rail on Newstalk yesterday. It is inexcusable that Irish Rail still does not have an on-board catering service for passengers on intercity trains when we consider, as reported in an investigative piece by Ken Foxe in the Irish Examiner, that Irish Rail acquired €390,000 clamping 4,300 cars at €120 each. The company has money that it can use to franchise or subsidise. If the Minister for Transport could come to the House to present an update on that important matter, it would be opportune.