Taoiseach tells Cork dad who lost one son that discussions on life-changing drug for his other son will be brought forward

'Emotional' Micheál Martin told Craig Coady he would 'do everything I can to get the Skyclarys drug to your son and to 200 other patients'

Mon, 08 Jun, 2026 - 18:35

Louise Burne

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told a Cork father who has already lost one son to a rare disease, that discussions on whether a life-changing drug will be made available by the HSE are to be brought forward.

As reported by the Irish Examiner last week, Craig Coady is imploring the HSE to approve the drug Skyclarys to treat his son Paudie’s (16) Friedreich’s ataxia diagnosis.

Paudie’s younger brother Rory, 13, passed away last September from the rare genetic disorder which causes progressive damage to the nervous system and can lead to heart complications.

Mr Coady met the Taoiseach in Cork on Monday and spoke to him for 50 minutes.

Micheál Martin was described as “emotional” during the “positive” meeting.

The HSE Drugs Group must deliberate on whether Skyclarys can be approved for use in Ireland. While it is not on the agenda for this month’s meeting, which will be held this week, it is on the agenda for July’s meeting.

'I can’t lose him. He is all I have left': Cork father 'begging' for drug for disease affecting son

Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird: How much is my life worth to the HSE?

“They're hoping they can bring [the meeting] forward to the end of June,” Mr Coady said.

“It is [a boost], because we were led to believe it would be September [until the drug would be discussed by the Drugs Group].”

Mr Coady said that while the Taoiseach “made no promises”, he is “pushing” with health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the HSE to bring it forward. Mr Coady added:

He told me, 'I'm gonna do everything I can to get the Skyclarys drug to your son and to 200 other patients'.

Pádraig O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, told the Irish Examiner the Taoiseach empathised with Mr Coady and those who are seeking Skyclarys, and that “every effort will be made to expedite the process, while acknowledging the ongoing difficulties with the reimbursement system in Ireland”.

Craig Coady and his sons Paudie and Rory in happier times. Rory has already succumbed to Friedreich’s ataxia and Paudie's condition has is now deteriorating. Pictures courtesy of the Coady family

]The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) said in December that it would not recommend that the HSE provide Skyclarys because it was “poor value for money”, and it was “unsure based on the available clinical evidence” on the “meaningful improvements” it could have.

However, the decision on whether to provide the drug for reimbursement is ultimately made by the HSE Drugs Group.

Mr Coady told the Irish Examiner the drug could help improve Paudie’s quality of life.

Paudie was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia in 2023 after his dad noticed that he was a “bit off balance” while playing a match.

The doctors recommended testing Rory for the condition, despite him not displaying any symptoms.

A year after Paudie’s diagnosis, the Coady family was told that Rory also had Friedreich’s ataxia, and that the lower left muscle in his heart had thickened. He passed away in September 2025.

Mr Coady is seeking Skyclarys for Paudie as his condition is deteriorating and he is becoming increasingly fatigued.