asked the Minister for Health if he will include leukemia and hypogammaglobulinemia in the list of long-term diseases which entitle persons suffering from them to free drugs.
28.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Drug Entitlement.
27.
asked the Minister for Health if he will include Parkinson's disease in the category of long-term illnesses for which free drugs are available.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.
While the list of long-term illnesses is under continuous review, I do not propose to extend it at present. I have already indicated, in reply to similar questions, that there are a number of chronic conditions which can vary greatly in severity and are not always well defined, making it impractical to include them in the list.
Hospital services are now available free, and drugs and medicines either free or at a maximum cost of £4 per family per month, to almost 90 per cent of the population, and, as the Deputy is aware, I propose to extend these services to the remainder of the community.
Why is the Minister not prepared to include leukemia and other diseases I mentioned? In what way does he regard these illnesses as differing from other long-term illnesses?
I am sure the Deputy has a particular interest in leukemia and the other illnesses mentioned. There are other illnesses which could be considered long-term illnesses. As I said in my reply, about 90 per cent of the population have available to them free hospital services and can participate in the drug scheme at a cost of no more than £4 per family per month. I also said in my reply, and in this House recently, that under the new scheme which I propose to introduce on 1st April, free hospital services, public wards and drugs to the maximum expense of £4 per month for all such people as the Deputy described in his question.
I have victims of both these diseases in my constituency. These children are hospital cases. Therefore, the free hospital service does not apply to them. They need expensive drugs. When drugs cost more than £4 a month this can be an unjustifiable burden to place on the families unfortunate enough to have children suffering from these clearly definable long-term and incurable diseases. With all the propaganda we hear from the Minister——
The Deputy is extending his question.
I am bitterly disappointed that the Minister is refusing to include these diseases in the long-term diseases provision when other similar diseases are already included.
It is not a blank refusal. I have indicated to the House that the inclusion of long-term illnesses is constantly under review and I do not mean on the Kathleen Mavourneen style. I will consider the three diseases which have been mentioned but I am not prepared to do it now. The Deputy knows that, as far as 90 per cent or more of the population is concerned, free drugs and medicines are available. In what the Deputy terms as the middle income group, the maximum expense to them is £4 per month. One pound a week may be a hardship on certain families in this group——
It is a hardship in the two cases to which I referred.
The Deputy must not engage in a debate.
In that case the health authorities can make special provision if it is shown——
The Minister should try to do that.
——that there is severe hardship.
Question No. 29.
The Minister says that he is not prepared to consider the matter now. I take that to mean that he will consider it in the House but not at this moment. I would be satisfied if he would give me an undertaking that he will personally look sympathetically at the inclusion of these three diseases in the list during the next few weeks.
Not exclusively the three diseases mentioned because there are others.
Will the Minister give me his personal assurance?
I have a personal interest in long-term illnesses. I will consider these three and other illnesses.
As Deputy Grogan is attending a local authority meeting he asked me——
I am sorry Deputy Lemass. I have allowed a lot of latitude on that Question. Question No. 29.
Anybody would think that these diseases had just been discovered.
The Coalition Parties have no initiative——
(Interruptions.)
Order, please. Question No. 29.