Michael Collins
Cork South-West · Independent Ireland · Ireland
“This matter has been raised twice already this morning, but it is hugely important. I will make a personal appeal to the Taoiseach regarding Skyclarys and the further delay that has now arisen. Yesterday, Emma O'Shea came to Leinster House from west Cork with her mother, father and brother.”
“Another huge problem which normally arises in August is that relating to school buses. Parents have no way to get their children to school because of the nearest school rule. The current and previous programmes for Government contain promises that this will be done away with, but nothing has happened. The rule needs to be abolished.”
“Every parent knows that September has become one of the most expensive months of the year. While free schoolbooks are welcome, many families now face growing costs for other items. Parents are being asked to purchase laptops that cost €400 or more, make increased payments for school transport and pay charges to cover examination fees.”
“Either 25 children are left without a school place this September, or two senior infants classes are merged into one class of 34 children. Does the Minister of State agree that schools should not be punished for helping to solve an enrolment crisis? Will he immediately sanction the additional teaching posts required for St.”
“Education should not be measured by means of the distance someone lives from school, and school transport should not be measured on that basis either. I want to raise a matter that Councillor Bill Clear brought to my attention. It is a very serious issue regarding St. Corban’s National School in Naas in County Kildare.”
“I was chairperson of a board of management and know the difficulties that schools face just because they are one or two children short. That can be made up as the year goes on but it is a crisis that Councillor Clear finds unacceptable.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to contribute on what is without question a significant, far-reaching piece of legislation. Independent Ireland recognises the critical importance of Dublin Airport to this country. It is our main gateway to the world. It underpins tourism, supports our exporters, connects families and plays a vital role in attracting international investment. There is no point in pretending otherwise. If connectivity suffers, the national economy suffers and we are where we are. The current passenger cap of 32 million put in place under very different circumstances is now widely seen as a constraint. Businesses are saying it. The tourism sector is saying it. The workers whose livelihoods depend on those sectors are saying it so, yes, action is needed.”
“They are now being told to wait for further reviews and an interdepartmental process when many of these women with whom I have spoken to have already spent decades seeking acknowledgement and justice. Does the Taoiseach accept that forcing survivors into lengthy legal proceedings risks further traumatising them? Will he commit to engaging directly with the women involved to seek resolution without the need for court action and if he engages, how soon these innocent women can be included in redress?”
“I want to raise the deeply distressing case of the 19 women abused by a former school principal at Dunderrow National School in west Cork. These women suffered unimaginable abuse as children. One survivor described how you were not safe anywhere in that school - not in the classroom, not in the bathroom, not even the school grounds - yet decades later, many of these women remain excluded from redress despite the fact that Louise O'Keeffe successfully proved before the European Court of Human Rights that the Irish State failed in its duty to protect children from abuse. Today, these women are being forced to consider legal action simply to obtain recognition and justice. This cannot be right.”
“I wish to address the devastating case of 19 women who were sexually abused by the former school principal in Dunderrow National School and who are now being forced to take legal action against the State to seek redress. Given that Louise O'Keeffe successfully established before the European Court of Human Rights that the State failed in its duty to protect children, how can the Government justify a situation where other victims of the same abuser in the same school continue to be excluded from redress? We need statements in the Dáil this week in relation to that.”
“I would really appreciate if the Minister of State would give us some idea as to where the process is and whether there is a possibility in that regard. It might be clearer next month. If it is, it will certainly lead to saving Emma's life and the lives of many more out there.”
“I have been in contact personally with Emma O'Shea continuously, even just up to a few minutes ago. She is struggling greatly and wants to know when there will be an announcement. I am not here to point fingers; I am just here to plead on behalf of that lady and other people who need Skyclarys. I would really appreciate when the Minister of State is summing up if he could give us some guideline. There was talk it might be announced last week - that did not happen - and that it could be announced next month. If it is, we would be absolutely overjoyed. This is a life-and-death issue. If Emma lost her brother, it is quite possible she could lose her own life. She is determined to fight on. There was a very strong piece in the Southern Star today about Emma and what she was suffering and going through.”
“I wish to ask the Minister of State about Friedreich's ataxia and the medication Skyclarys. Where are we in relation to getting patients access to Skyclarys? The brother of Emma O'Shea in west Cork died from this disease. I met a group of young people who were here in Leinster House a few weeks ago. One was a young lady who was devastated by what the disease was doing to her. Every second without Skyclarys medication is a death sentence. I ask the Minister of State, how can we in opposition help the Government? We are not here to blame the Government, but how can we help? Surely if one of our children needed Skyclarys, we would find a way. I ask the Minister of State to please tell me how we can help. In his summing up, he might let me know where developments with regard to Skyclarys are.”
“Nobody understands the shortcomings of the system better than those who live with these conditions every day. Their voices must be at the centre of decision-making. A society is often judged by how it treats those who are most vulnerable. Families affected by rare diseases have shown extraordinary resilience, courage and determination. They should not have to spend years fighting for recognition, they should not have to spend years fighting for treatment and they certainly should not have to spend years fighting bureaucracy while their conditions deteriorate. Our job in this House is to ensure that hope is matched by action. That is what fairness demands. That is what compassion requires. That is what Independent Ireland believes should be delivered.”
“Can a patient access a medicine before irreversible damage occurs? Those are the questions that matter. Independent Ireland has consistently highlighted the challenges faced by families living outside major urban centres. Many rare disease patients must travel repeatedly to Dublin and to specialist centres for consultations, diagnostics and treatment. The financial burden, the time away from work and school and the emotional strain this places on families can be enormous. We need faster diagnostic pathways. We need improved support services for families. We need better regional access to specialist care wherever possible. We need a medicines approval system that recognises the particular challenges associated with rare diseases. More importantly, we need to listen to patients.”
“Our party believes that where a medicine has demonstrated clear clinical benefit and has received European regulatory approval, every effort should be made to ensure that Irish patients are not left waiting unnecessarily while administrative processes continue. Independent Ireland has consistently argued that public services should be built around the needs of citizens rather than bureaucracy. The healthcare system is no different. The needs of patients and families must come first. Recent agreements aimed at accelerating access to new medicines are welcome. However, the true test will not be what is written in an agreement; but whether patients and families notice a difference in their everyday lives. Can a child receive treatment sooner? Can a family avoid travelling abroad?”
“It recognises the need for earlier diagnosis, better care pathways, improved research, stronger patient involvement and improved access to orphan medicines, but strategies alone do not change lives. Implementation changes lives. Families do not need another glossy document sitting on a shelf. They need action, appointments, diagnostics and, where appropriate, they need timely access to treatment. The current system often evaluates these medicines using frameworks designed for large population treatments. As a result, patients can experience lengthy delays before decisions are made. Independent Ireland believes there is room for a more flexible and patient-centred approach.”
“We must now ensure that eligible children can access this medicine without delay and that the lessons learned from this campaign are applied to other rare disease treatments in the future. I am calling on the Minister to ensure that the managed access protocol is expedited for these families. Independent Ireland believes that every citizen should have access to healthcare based on need, not on where they live, who they know or how effectively they can campaign for attention. We believe that patients suffering from rare diseases deserve the same urgency and commitment from the State as patients with more common conditions. The publication of Ireland's national rare disease strategy was an important and welcome step.”
“The recent recommendation from the HSE drugs group to approve this treatment is very welcome news and a testament to the determination of parents who simply refused to accept that their children should be left waiting while the clock ticked on. These families have shown enormous courage and persistence. They have attended meetings, spoken to public representatives, told their stories in the media and campaigned relentlessly because they understood one simple truth — time is muscle. Every day matters when a child is living with Duchenne. I welcome the decision by the senior HSE leadership team to approve this treatment following intensive lobbying by Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, affected families and patient advocates. It shows what can be achieved when people come together and refuse to give up.”
“There is a young adult wondering whether their condition will deteriorate before a medicine becomes available, and there are families carrying enormous emotional, physical and financial burdens while having to navigate a healthcare system that is often difficult to access and even harder to understand. A treatment may exist. A medicine may already be approved elsewhere in Europe. Patients may know that the drug could help them, yet they can still face lengthy delays before that medicine becomes available in Ireland. I particularly want to acknowledge the families who have spent months and years fighting for access to givinostat for children living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.”
“Rare disease is an issue that affects thousands of families across Ireland, yet too often it receives far too little attention in this House. In particular, many patients face struggles gaining access to the medicines and treatments that could transform or even save their lives. The word "rare" can be misleading. When people hear the term “rare disease”, they imagine something that affects only a handful of people, but when we put all of these conditions together, the reality is very different. Today, around one in every 17 people in Ireland is living with a rare disease. That means hundreds of thousands of people across the country are affected in some way. Behind every statistic is a family. There is a child waiting for a diagnosis. There is a parent fighting to access treatment.”
“In light of the ongoing and deepening crisis in the fishing sector and the severe impact it continues to have on coastal and inland communities, can the Minister provide an update on the fishing task force established by the Government earlier in 2026 to examine the future sustainability and viability of the sector? Can he confirm the task force has met in accordance with its intended schedule, the number of meetings that have taken place, and the current status of its work? When can fisherman and affected communities expect concrete measures arising from the process? Given the urgency on the ground, will he also clarify what interim supports or actions are being advanced pending the task force's final report?”
“The REACH vote is due on Thursday week, yet here we are, days away from a hugely important decision, and stakeholders still do not know which way Ireland intends to vote. How is this acceptable to this Government? There are over 150,000 licensed firearms owners in this country. Many have serious concerns about the practical consequences of these proposals. There are concerns about availability, the suitability of existing firearms, safety, cost and supply. What is Ireland's position? Will we vote against or in favour of this proposal? The Health and Safety Authority under the Department of enterprise will cast a vote. Which way do we plan to vote?”
“The people affected by this are farmers protecting livestock, people carrying out vermin control, hunters, sporting shooters, and ordinary licence-holders who obey the law and pay their taxes like everyone else. Many of them who live in rural Ireland feel they are being ignored, and I can see why. There has been no meaningful consultation, no proper stakeholder engagement, no effort to bring people around the table and no effort to explain what Ireland's position actually is. That is just shocking. The Government talks endlessly about stakeholders' engagement and consultation, but when it comes to rural stakeholder groups, too often they seem to be the last people anyone wants to listen to. That is exactly the impression being created here.”
“I raise a matter that has caused huge concern among farmers, hunters and licensed firearms owners right across rural Ireland. This is about the proposed EU restrictions on lead ammunition and, more important, the complete lack of information and engagement by this Government. This issue did not appear yesterday. Concerns about these proposals have been voiced over the past number of years. Representative organisations have been looking for meetings and meaningful engagement with the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Dillon, and officials in his Department, and they have got virtually nothing back. In many cases, they have got nothing at all. That is simply not acceptable.”
“Is he aware that these cuts will mainly target and affect the most marginalised learners in our communities? Adult education gives people a second chance to learn, grow and build a better future for themselves. Why are important opportunities being denied to some of our most vulnerable people through cuts in the budget for adult education? I ask that the decision be overturned.”
“Adult and community education across Ireland is facing a crisis. Classes are being cut, jobs are being lost and earnings are being slashed in multiple education and training boards. A total of €20 million has been removed from the programmes serving some of the most marginalised learners in our communities. There are over 500 further education and training campuses across Ireland, six of which are in my constituency of Cork South-West. More than 40% of those attending them are senior citizens. These classes are a lifeline for many who live alone and would otherwise be at risk of social isolation. Will the Taoiseach find out for my constituents and me, and for the country, what criteria are being used for cutting courses and making tutors redundant?”
“It is nowhere near enough. It does not bridge the gap for ordinary families. Again, the issue is not willingness. The issue is that supports do not match reality. If we had invested properly in grid infrastructure, in renewables and in practical supports, we would not be in this position today. Instead of shutting down investment through moratoriums, we should be building capacity. We also have serious concerns about the proposals for new levies on data centres. We know how this works. Costs introduced in one part of the system often end up being passed on elsewhere.”
“In many parts of rural Ireland, there are simply not enough charging points, if any at all. People are being asked to change but without the infrastructure to support them. That is not a fair ask. A lot of people, particularly older people or those not comfortable with technology, are completely turned off by the system as it stands. It is a major barrier to progress. The same disconnect applies when we talk about solar energy. Families are being told and encouraged to install solar panel and want to do so but the numbers simply do not stack up. For a typical household to install a system that would truly meet all their needs, powering their home and perhaps an electric car, they are looking at a cost of €20,000. What is the grant? It is €1,800. It is probably the lowest in Europe, the UK and Scotland. That is not an incentive.”
“Then we ask why people are reluctant to make the switch. If you want people to move to electric vehicles, the system must work and it must be simple. Anyone should be able to pull up, plug in, tap their debit or credit card and charge their car. It should be as simple as buying fuel with no apps, no confusion and no barrier. As a matter of fact, the only place I have been told about in Ireland - there probably are more but people have checked it out fairly well - is in Schull in Jeremy Brosnan's Centra. You drive up, plug in the car, tap your debit card and the car gets charged. It is simple and all people want. They do not want complications. We are nowhere near that standard around the rest of Ireland. There is also a rural reality here that cannot be ignored.”
“Data centres are part of the modern economy. They bring employment, tax revenue and opportunity, particularly to regional Ireland. The problem is not growth; the problem is that the infrastructure has not kept pace. Nowhere is that clearer than in our approach to EVs. We are telling people they must transition. We are setting targets and deadlines but the reality on the ground is that the system is simply not ready. The public EV charging infrastructure in this country is not fit for purpose; it is far from it. It is too complicated. There are too many providers, too many apps and too many accounts. People are expected to download app after app just to charge their car. When they finally arrive at a charging point, it is out of service, blocked or so slow it is practically useless. That is happening every day across the country.”
“The ditches are blocked, the drains are choked and the rivers and waterways are all not being maintained any more. Years ago, this work was done as a matter of routine and it made a difference. Now people are tied up in red tape. They are afraid to clean a ditch or clear a drain and the result is simple; water has nowhere to go. When water has nowhere to go, it floods homes, farms and roadways. Yes, we can talk about climate but let us talk about common sense. Start by clearing the ditches, maintaining the channels and doing the basic work we know prevents flooding because until we do that, we are only dealing with half the problem. Independent Ireland would be slow to support a blanket moratorium on data centres. That approach risks jobs, undermines investment and sends out a damaging signal that Ireland is closed for business.”
“That dropped to €450 the following year and then to €250 in budget 2025, paid in two instalments. This year, there was nothing. At the very moment when families are under the most pressure, support has been taken away. It is no surprise arrears have surged. Our energy system is under serious pressure. Our grid is stretched. Our reliance on gas remains far too high and the delivery of offshore wind and renewables has been far too slow. That is not the fault of ordinary people. That is a failure of Government planning and delivery over many years. We hear a lot in this House about climate being blamed for flooding, and yes weather patterns are changing and we accept that. However, before we blame everything on climate, we need to look at what is happening on the ground. We have walked away from the basics.”
“There is one point in this motion that nobody in this House can dispute. Irish families and small businesses are being crippled by electricity costs and if anyone doubts the scale of that crisis, they only need to look at the figures. At the end of last year, nearly 320,000 households in this country were behind on their electricity bills. That is roughly one in seven homes struggling to keep up. The average amount owed is around €466 per household. That has gone to over €500 now and is rising. That is the reality facing people - not theory and not projections. What happened? At the same time the Government removed electricity credits from the most recent budget, credits that had already been scaled back year after year. People will remember that in budget 2023, households received €600 in electricity credits.”
“We are back to square one again in relation to the short-term lets. This was discussed at the Cabinet meeting today. One Minister has said it is going to include strong enforcement laws and the Revenue Commissioners coming down hard on short-term lets. The Taoiseach said in a statement here in the Dáil that any short-term let over seven years would not need planning permission. Is that the case? Yes or no?”
“Will the Minister bring clarity today about the criteria that planning authorities will use in assessing and making determinations on material change-of-use applications for existing and new short-term letting units in both towns and villages? These are issues that I would appreciate an answer to.”
“Does the Minister stand over that statement? My understanding is that they will be required to make an application for retention in order to be able to get on the register. Perhaps the Minister will have a word with the Taoiseach and ask him to come to the House and correct the record. On Tuesday, 28 April, the Taoiseach told this House, "The policy decision we have taken, of which the Deputy is well aware, is that it relates to towns over 20,000, so that excludes straight away all of the western seaboard and the north western seaboard, all the way along." Perhaps the Minister could give the Taoiseach a geography lesson and remind him that Tralee, Limerick city, Galway city, Sligo and even towns such as Ennis and Letterkenny are vital hubs for the surrounding, rural, seaboard tourism communities.”
“Has the Department completed a tourism impact assessment quantifying the potential loss of visitor bed capacity arising from the proposed measures and if so will he bring it before the Dáil for debate? Given the repeated delays to the legislation, will the Minister outline which specific provisions remain unresolved between Departments and whether disagreements relate to housing-supply projections, tourism impacts, planning law or enforcement mechanisms? Has the Department conducted any analysis of the economic impact on rural communities where short-term letting income supports local restaurants, pubs' activities, providers and tourism businesses? On Tuesday, 28 April, the Taoiseach told this House that if someone is operating an Airbnb for seven years, he or she does not need planning permission.”
“Will the Minister confirm precisely what categories of accommodation are proposed to be exempted from the proposed planning restrictions? Will it be granny flats, converted barns and outbuildings? Is it them or is it glamping units, treehouses or accommodation attached to a principal private residence? Has there been any evidence-based assessment conducted by the Department to determine how many short-term letting properties would realistically become long-term residential tenancies if the proposed restrictions are implemented? Will that analysis be published? Will the Minister provide the most up-to-date estimate of the number of short-term letting units that will be affected in counties such as Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Mayo and Galway, broken down by local authority?”
“I have been seeking this debate for about three months at the Business Committee so I am glad the Minister is here before us. I will concentrate very much on the serious issue of short-term lets. I have very little time so I will ask a number of questions the Minister might be able to answer in his summing up. There has been major confusion, as we have seen. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are all over the place on this issue, so much so that people have been told for the last two years to sign up in May but now that can has been kicked down the road. The Social Democrats and the Labour Party have been very clear that they do not support short-term lets. That is the end of tourism in rural communities as far as they are concerned and Sinn Féin is singing from both sides of its mouth.”
“We all recognise the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need to stand up for international law but we also recognise that Irish athletes should not be punished for events beyond their control. Decisions on international fixtures belong to the FAI, UEFA and FIFA. Sport should unite people and not become another battlefield for political disputes. That is why we are putting forward our amendment here this evening.”
“Where there are concerns around public order or safety surrounding fixtures, those matters should be addressed properly. That is why our amendment calls for a comprehensive security assessment involving Government Departments, An Garda Síochána and the FAI, with consideration given to matches being played behind closed doors if necessary. Sport should unite people, not divide them. We can stand for peace, human rights and humanitarian principles while also respecting the independence of sporting organisations and protecting the interests of Irish athletes. I welcome the fact the Government now appears to have adopted a position put forward by Independent Ireland's amendment. While there may be differences elsewhere in the motion, on the central question of sport, the Government has arrived on the same conclusion we did.”
“A unilateral refusal to participate in fixtures could have serious implications for Irish football. It could affect our players, our supporters, our future participation in competitions and even Ireland's reputation as a host nation for international sporting events. Those consequences would not fall on politicians. They would fall on athletes, fans and sporting organisations. Our amendment takes a balanced approach. It acknowledges the genuine concerns expressed by many people regarding the conflict. It recognises the importance of international law and protection of civilians but it also recognises that responsibilities for resolving international political conflicts should not be placed on the shoulders of Irish footballers.”
“Once we cross that line, sports risk becoming another battleground for political disputes rather than a space where people from different backgrounds can come together. Political parties are long enough in this Dáil saying religion and politics should not go together. Now it is time there is a separation between sports and politics. We must also consider the wider consequences.”
“We do not believe that is fair. Irish sports people have devoted years of their lives to representing their country. They have trained, sacrificed and worked tirelessly for the opportunity to compete at the highest level. They should not be asked to carry the burden of resolving conflicts that are far beyond their control. If international sporting sanctions are to be imposed, those decisions should be made by the recognised international sporting authorities. UEFA and FIFA exist precisely to govern international football and to make decisions regarding participation, suspension and fixtures. Whether people agree with their decisions or not, those are the bodies charged with that responsibility. Governments should not be dictating who national teams play. Political parties should not be deciding which fixtures go ahead.”
“Let me begin by saying something very clearly: the humanitarian situation in Gaza is heartbreaking. The loss of innocent civilian life, the suffering of families, the destruction of homes, schools and hospitals and the terrible impact of this conflict on ordinary people should concern every decent person. We in Independent Ireland condemn violence against civilians where it occurs and we support every effort to achieve a just peace and lasting resolution to this conflict. Nobody should mistake our amendment for indifference. It is not. However, we believe that we must also recognise another important principle: sport should not become a tool of political direction by Government or opposition. The Sinn Féin motion seeks to place the Football Association of Ireland and Irish athletes at the centre of an international political dispute.”
“It is only a fool that would not. I refer to putting solar panels on their houses but there is only a grant of €1,800 - a measly, dirty little grant when all the rest of Europe is giving €7,000 or €8,000 for putting the same amount of solar panels on their roofs. The Government is way behind the times. It has the National Oil Reserves Agency fuel costs and a budget left that it never spent. The Government is not in the real world and it needs to catch up.”
“They have huge bills to pay and it was not long ago that Europe was willing to give some bit of a rebate to the Irish fishermen but the previous Government would not dare apply for it in case it gave some bit of relief to the people who work hard. We seem to have a problem in this country. We bleed the man and the woman who works to death and do not support them or try and bring them through a situation where it is a known crisis throughout the world for other governments. There are over 300,000 people in arrears with their electricity bills, and that is a very serious issue. The Government helped them before by giving them a break but it will not even consider that now. The Government is always on about renewables. Everybody is shouting about them. People want to change; there is no point in saying they should not. They would, of course.”
“The one little bit of comfort that people have in their own homes is home heating oil. That never really reduced in price. People have been telling me that up until last weekend the heating was still on in their homes because they have no choice. Nobody wants to have it on but the Minister of State knows the weather we have. There are cold, bitter evenings and a lot of people have to turn on the home heating oil. My God, did they get any break? They got no break. These are hard-working people or maybe retired people who have given to the State long enough and they get little or no respect. Fishermen find themselves in the same situation regarding the rebates for fuel. They have huge fuel issues, whether it is the petrol for the inshore fishermen or the pelagic fleet.”
“Everything is up on their backs and the Government believes, "We will shove it up again". Forget what the Government is doing. We have the Social Democrats and the Labour Party in here telling the Government that it needs to reduce the cost of fuel but they never shut up about carbon tax. Where do they think the money is going to come from? It is the same people. They have no understanding of how people are suffering because if they did, they would ask for a freeze on carbon taxes until the crisis is over and let us have a look at these things after it. They should not come into the Dáil saying, "I should do this", but then shove up the carbon tax anyway because that does not matter, it is a great idea. It is not a great idea. It is an extra infliction on people at a difficult time.”
“Independent Ireland did and we got a lot of criticism from the Government. We know why; because we showed the Government up. We stood there on the side of the road. We tried to create peace and bring in an environment where the Government and the protesters could talk. That was refused. We thought we could reconvene the Dáil so if the Government could not talk to the protesters, it could talk to us but it did not want to do that. We tried different mechanisms to put forward solutions and the people appreciated that. They knew there was some voice there. This was a voice for the people who were going out of business who are the men and the women who have built this country. The one thing that taught me a lesson was that hard-working people who are working day and night said there was no voice for them.”
“That is what it all boiled down to because by the time people have their accountants and others sorted out, they are not going to get anything. That is a terribly unfair way to deal with people. It is a kind of back door system of getting the money back - pushing it out one door and in the other. This all hurts. It hurts the farmer on the ground. If he does not have some kind of relief, he has to pass that on to the person who is buying the produce in the shop, whether it is eggs, beef, potatoes or vegetables. That is all going to be passed on and people are feeling the hurt of this. The increases in the cost of butter and other foods are extraordinary and people are finding it very hard at this present time. In a crisis, Government is meant to be there to stand with the people. It failed to do that.”
“Independent Ireland always welcomed any fuel cuts that were made but, in fairness, they never went to the core of the problem. I know, following the protest, the Government was kicking and screaming against giving anything to the people. The people almost had a revolution in the country before it woke up and then when it woke up, it did not go about it in the right way. The right way is always at the pump. If money is taken off at the pump, it goes back into the wallet or purse of the mother or father who is out there working and struggling greatly at this time. However, the Government did not do that; instead it did through the tax system and this, that and the other thing. I met a farmer the other day who said to me that it all he got was three or four cent per litre.”
“It is already approved and being provided in countries across Europe and the United States, yet Ireland's patients are once again left behind because of delays in the system. Will the Taoiseach intervene today with the Minister and the HSE to ensure Skyclarys is considered immediately? Does he accept that families cannot continue to wait while time and their health slip away because of bureaucracy?”
“The Taoiseach has answered a question on this already. Perhaps he would give us a timeline. Will he urgently intervene to ensure that the drug, Skyclarys, is included in the HSE's drugs group agenda for tomorrow, 10 June? I raised this issue in the Dáil a number of months ago. I have also written directly to the Minister for health about it, yet here we are again with no progress and families left in limbo. I am speaking on behalf of Emma O'Shea from Bantry who was first diagnosed at ten years of age, and others who are living with Friedreich's ataxia, a cruel and relentlessly progressive disease where every single month lost means a permanent loss of mobility and quality of life. Skyclarys is the first treatment proven to slow the condition.”
“In June 2024, the Dáil voted to opt Ireland into the EU migration and asylum pact, which comes into effect this week. We need an urgent debate in the Dáil as there is a national outcry against this. We need to find a way to overturn this decision, like Denmark, which opted out. Other countries are trying to get out of this. We need an urgent discussion in the Chamber to do that.”