Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. For some time now inside and outside this House, I have campaigned for better support services for and better screening of haemochromatosis. We have had discussions here in previous Commencement matters on the need for a national plan or strategy to deal with haemochromatosis. I have facilitated briefings within the House for staff and Members from the Irish Haemochromatosis Association. For those people who do not understand what haemochromatosis is, it is when your body takes in too much iron from the food you eat and in order to alleviate that iron it has to be removed from your bloodstream. Periodically, people who have haemochromatosis have a pint a blood removed from their system in order to reduce their iron to a more acceptable level so it is not a threat to their health.

In various parts of the country, the supports are mixed and varied. In some regions of Ireland, the supports are very good. In other regions of Ireland, they are not so good. I have long campaigned for free care for people who suffer from haemochromatosis. People who need blood taken for that reason should be able to have it done in a convenient way that does not cost them anything and in a way that is easily accessible. That is the one way haemochromatosis is treated. A former Leader of the House and Senator, Maurice Manning, has campaigned for many years on this issue because he has haemochromatosis. I acknowledge the work he does in this area.

We need screening and a national screening plan. We also need better access to care. We need an awareness campaign so that people are aware of what haemochromatosis is, how it can be diagnosed and what things people need to watch out for. It can be hereditary; in those instances people will be more aware than they would be otherwise but people can pick it up for a whole myriad of different reasons and that is why the Government needs to start taking it more seriously. We need to have a national strategy and I hope today the Minister of State might have an update in that regard. I want to acknowledge the improvements that have happened in the last two or three years in this area but clearly, a lot more needs to be done. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's update to the House on what is happening to support the people in this country and the citizens of Ireland who have haemochromatosis.