Under the programme for Government the Government commits to developing a national disease register and also to implement the national rare diseases plan. There was a very constructive presentation today in the Oireachtas - and outside of the Oireachtas - on the issue of Lyme disease. It is a rare disease but it is growing in terms of the number of people in this country who have the condition. What is striking and quite shocking is the lack of implementation of those elements of the programme for Government, particularly on Lyme disease, where there is no national lead or proper diagnostic centre or service for people with this disease, or indeed a treatment centre. In the discipline of neurology or infectious disease there is a huge gap, and the people that we have met have to go to Germany for comprehensive and proper diagnosis. They do not get reimbursed for that and it is not recognised here by the medical profession. The commitment is there in the programme for Government but very little action is evident on the issue. I would ask the Minister to speak to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and also ensure that the Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health takes a lead position on this to ensure the needs of people with Lyme disease in this country are attended to and dealt with in a comprehensive fashion.

I had the opportunity, as Deputy Micheál Martin did, to meet with some of the groups today. I took the opportunity to check out what the position is. There is a HSE health protection surveillance centre which has established a Lyme disease sub-committee with the primary aim of examining best practice in prevention and surveillance of Lyme disease and to develop strategies to undertake primary prevention in order to minimise harm caused by the Lyme borreliosis in Ireland. There is a group assessing this issue, and I hope-----

They are not meeting. A person outside told me they have only had one meeting.

It is intended that the group will publish the final report on its findings in the near future. It has looked at diagnostic methods, guidance for general practitioners and medical media articles to highlight diagnostics and laboratory methods. Work is ongoing in this area. I will convey the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Health.

Will the Minister correspond with us on the issue?

Yes, I will ask him to do so.