Health Minister Simon Harris says he’ll be discussing co-operation with his EU counterparts in relation to the drug Orkambi, at a meeting in Lisbon tomorrow.

There’s renewed pressure for the HSE to make the potentially life-changing drug available to Cystic Fibrosis sufferers.

So far the HSE has refused to sanction Orkambi as the manufacturers are demanding €150,000 a year per patient for it.

TDs have been briefed at Leinster House about the benefits to some CF patients.

Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher says a deal must be done.

“Orkambi changes people’s lives that have Cystic Fibrosis. We don’t put a specific cost on that but we also want to ensure that we can get as much as we can at a reasonable cost.

“That’s what these discussions should be about.”