Inishowen Sinn Féin councillor Jack Murray has said that his office has received numerous calls from worried constituents after the HSE announced that a total of 23 gluten-free foods have been removed from the HSE drugs list.
Cllr Murray said that these are essential food items for those with coeliac disease and should not have been considered for removal.
He said “I have been contacted by many people with coeliac disease in Inishowen who are deeply concerned about the HSE’s removal of these essential food items from the medical card drugs list. None of those who contacted me were aware that these cuts were coming until they went to buy food.
“At least 1 in 100 people have coeliac disease and cannot consume gluten. These people must therefore buy gluten-free foods which can cost up to 5 times the price of similar items.
“No one makes the choice to become a coeliac. For the sake of their health they have to consume gluten-free food. Like everyone else, they should be entitled to avail of basic food such as bread – gluten-free bread is not a luxury item.”
The Buncrana-based councillor said one man who contacted me, has four other coeliac sufferers in his family.
The HSE is now asking his family to spend 5 times what others would, just to eat basic food, he said.
“Minister James Reilly is forcing the HSE to make drastic decisions and heap hardship onto thousands of families in Donegal in order to keep up with his cuts. He needs to abandon this destructive course of action immediately.
“My colleague Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has committed to raising this issue with the Minister as a matter of priority as soon as the Dáil reconvenes.”
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