Baby Kate Mynard is an adorable child from Dunmanway in west County Cork. She has a disease called spinal muscular atrophy, a rare disease that causes loss of movement. Quite often with these diseases, there is no cure or treatment. However, in Kate's case there is a treatment - a miracle drug called Zolgensma. If Kate receives treatment with this drug, she will experience an incredible improvement in her life and in her outlook. I urge the Taoiseach, as leader of Government, to intervene here and ensure that cost is not what stops baby Kate, or indeed baby Theo Whelan, from receiving this miracle drug, Zolgensma.

I thank the Deputy for raising the case of Kate Mynard from Dunmanway and the issue of access to a particular treatment and a particular drug. I will investigate this to ascertain the availability of that, the position of the treating consultants, whether the company has applied under the existing processes and so on. I will talk to the Deputy in more detail about it.

Baby Kate turns two in April, at which point it is recommended that Zolgensma is no longer to be used. Therefore, there is a sense of urgency about this.