Little Ryan has a big message for the Oireachtas health committee this morning

He might be only 18-months old, but Ryan Gilmartin has a very big job to do this morning.

The toddler, who has Down syndrome, will be handing a petition signed by 65,000 people into the Oireachtas health committee on behalf of himself and all Irish children who need a discretionary medical card.

Ryan’s parents Nichola and Chris became involved in the Our Children’s Health campaign after the toddler, who has a hole in his heart and suffers from a floppy larynx and sleep apnoea, was refused a medical card three times.

Despite the intervention of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny last year, the family have yet to receive a medical card for Ryan.

The Gilmartin family will be joined by Kevin Shortall and Peter Fitzpatrick of the Our Children’s Health campaign to hand over the 2,200-page petition, which states:

“I support amending the Health Act of 1970 to legally entitle any child diagnosed with a serious illness or congenital condition to a full medical card for the duration of their illness.”