If I were to continue as per my list, I would need another 30 minutes. The last two for today are Deputies Darragh O'Brien and Durkan. I will give all of the other Deputies on my list priority tomorrow because I expect to be in the Chair again then.

On page 64 of the programme for Government is a statement that the Government will drive down the costs of providing new treatments and drugs. I ask the Taoiseach to account for his Government's abject failure to introduce a coherent, effective and efficient way of introducing life saving orphan drugs such as Respreeza to Alpha-1 patients. Is the Taoiseach aware that one of the 21 patients who was on the Respreeza clinical trial died at the weekend and that some of the other 20 patients on the trial have been without this life saving drug for up to five weeks? A meeting was held by the HSE last Thursday. I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to intervene urgently to ensure that an arrangement is put in place so that this drug can be administered to these patients. This truly is a life and death situation. I spoke to two patients yesterday who are in fear of losing their lives because the drugs are being kept in a warehouse and are not being administered to those who need them. I respectfully ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to intervene as a matter of extreme urgency.

I had intended to raise the same issue. That was my issue too, on behalf of the people -----

I know it is not parliamentary language, but the Deputy is a cute Kerryman.

It is an absolute scandal that the drugs are in a warehouse. We are not asking the Taoiseach but are begging him to talk to the HSE and to ask it to administer the drugs. On our knees, we beg him on behalf of these people. They are at home and they need this drug. They are like a stone in the water now. Their health is going down day by day. I know some of them personally. They are getting weaker and sicker. There is nothing worse than having a drug and then having it taken away. As a doctor and a former Minister for Health, the Taoiseach knows that what I am telling him is the truth.

I appreciate that this is a very sensitive issue for the people affected and for their families. I am very sorry to hear about a person having passed away with this illness. As a doctor and a former Minister for Health, I know why it is important that politicians do not decide which drugs are licensed or reimbursed or how much is paid for them. That is best decided using clinical evidence and the best advice from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE, and the HSE. It is a matter that is decided on clinical and economic facts, based on the effectiveness of a medicine and how much is a reasonable cost for reimbursement. I will certainly ask the Minister for Health to provide the Deputies with further information.