Seanad debates

Thursday, 3 July 2025

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Health Services

2:00 am

Photo of Maria ByrneMaria Byrne (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. In recent weeks I have met an adult and a 18-year-old girl who suffer from Crohn's disease. The 18-year-old girl has been very debilitated over recent years. She spends an awful lot of time in hospital. She has had to drop out of school because of the level of her illness. Crohn's disease and colitis are very debilitating. It is very difficult to get a proper diagnosis because they are hidden diseases in that people do not know what the symptoms are or what is happening. The diseases are a breakdown in the immune system and people can suffer very badly with them. Some people have a lesser degree of it but many people suffer for quite a while. When they have energy, they are great, and suddenly the immune system goes down and they can be very sick with it.

When I met this 18-year-old recently, which was not my first meeting her, I saw how sick she has been, especially in recent years. She should be enjoying her life, going to school and playing sport, yet she could be in hospital for six or eight weeks at a time.

These conditions should be included on the long-term illness scheme because inflammatory bowel disease is not of the person's doing. It is something that, unfortunately, people end up being diagnosed with. I will not use the phrase "no future" but people spend a lot of time in bed and sick and it should be included in the scheme because of the cost of the medicines. Even in the short term, perhaps it could be included in the drug payment scheme and these people could qualify automatically for a medical card. Our long-term objective should be to have it in the long-term illness scheme.

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