Thirty-five children with cystic fibrosis have been excluded from accessing the drug Kaftrio. The reasons for their exclusion are primarily price and age. This is an ongoing dispute with the HSE and the manufacturer of the drug, Vertex. The families of those 35 children have been requesting a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, as soon as possible to clarify the situation. As the Minister will understand, the families do not want a protracted series of events going on for years, as has happened with other drugs in the past. A number of families have contacted me and other Deputies here to say they want this drug to be available for the 35 children. They are being excluded generally because of price and age but they want to get this drug as soon as possible.

As the Deputy will appreciate, given the sensitivity of the matter and the really important healthcare decisions that are made when a new drug is made available, it is not a decision the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, himself or even, I believe, the Department of Health makes. There is an outside body that advises them on the purchases of new drugs that should be made, to whom they should be available and how. Healthcare is a guiding principle when those decisions are made. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is aware of the Deputy's need to meet. It may be more appropriate that the meeting takes place with those who are involved in making the decision rather than the Minister himself, but I will pass on the request Deputy Kenny has made to the Minister.