Mattie McGrath urges action on Lyme disease recognition
Mattie McGrath called for urgent government action on Lyme disease after meeting families affected, urging recognition of the illness, access to treatments and acceptance of lab tests from Germany. He said parents and adult children want quality of care, proper testing and a public awareness campaign, particularly in woodlands.
Calls for recognition and testing
All they want is quality of care and proper lab tests which are available in Germany to be recognised here, McGrath said. He pressed for those tests to be accepted so patients can obtain appropriate diagnosis and care.
Families' concerns
McGrath described meeting parents, siblings and family members of people suffering with Lyme disease, noting these are ageing parents with adult children who are worried about the long-term future and quality of life for their loved ones.
Engagement with government
He recalled that the group had met the Tánaiste in 2015 and had met many officials since. McGrath said the families want the government to formally recognise the disease and to 'deal with it'.
Awareness and prevention
The families called for an awareness campaign with signage in forests, woodlands and other places to warn people about tick bites and the risk of becoming very sick, McGrath reported.
Peaceful protest and support
McGrath emphasised that those who came to protest did so peacefully and with dignity, and he said they need support and help from the State.
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I met a group of people today, mainly parents and siblings of loved ones and family members who are suffering with Lyme disease and it's time to tackle Lyme. They met with Tarniste in 2015, they've met with so many people. All they want is quality of care and proper lab tests which are available in Germany to be recognised here and to these people are getting older parents and they have adult children now and they're worried about their future because this is a long-term illness and they want some quality of life, some treatments and a recognition of this disease and above all they want an awareness campaign, especially in the forests and different places and the woodlands that signs will be put up to prevent people and advise people that they might get this bite or known to themselves and become very very sick. So there's a need for the government to recognise this and deal with it and it's not fair to have to have parents as I said of adult children and younger to be happy to come here to protest and they're very peace and dignified but to make that So they need support and they need help.
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