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	Two previously unpublished reports into the &lsquo;Grace&rsquo; foster abuse sex scandal will be published early next week, Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath confirmed yesterday.</p>
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	He told a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health that the reports were compiled by Conal Devine Associates and Resilience Ireland.</p>
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	&ldquo;Can I say very, very clearly that the Government [is] totally committed to the establishment of a commission of inquiry and there is going to be no fudge on this issue,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	&ldquo;We are all very committed to Grace, and any other victim by the way, in relation to any allegations of abuse. I intend to get the truth, justice and then action,&rdquo; the minister said.</p>
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	Mr McGrath said he has cleared the terms of reference with the Department of Health &ldquo;and that&rsquo;s basically on the move&rdquo;, he said.</p>
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	The HSE previously refused to publish the two reports detailing what happened and who was responsible in the Grace case, with the decision resulting in a year-long delay to a promised state inquiry.</p>
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	&ldquo;The HSE intends to publish the Resilience report and Conal Devine&rsquo;s report next Tuesday,&rdquo; said Mr McGrath. He said the terms of reference are with the attorney general&rsquo;s office at the moment.</p>
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	Also appearing before the committee, HSE director Tony O&rsquo;Brien announced that a drug used for the treatment of genetic emphysema &mdash; Repreeza &mdash; will not be funded by the HSE.</p>
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	&ldquo;Based on a clear recommendation from the National Drugs Committee, it is not recommended for reimbursement on clinical grounds,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	The Alpha One Foundation, an advocacy group for people with Alpha-1 (alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency) or genetic emphysema expressed its huge disappointment with the decision.</p>
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	&ldquo;Patients are devastated at this decision which, if left to stand, is likely to have a hugely detrimental impact on the future health of these patients,&rdquo; chief executive Kitty O&rsquo;Connor said.</p>
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	The decision not to fund the drug affects 17 patients who had continued to receive the therapy on a compassionate basis after participating in a clinical trial of the drug.</p>
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	Meanwhile, a target of four months for the treatment of scoliosis has been set by the HSE, with a comprehensive plan in the process of being finalised, according to Mr O&rsquo;Brien.</p>
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	He said the HSE is working with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to develop a plan that would see no patients waiting longer than 15 months by the end of October, according to Mr O&rsquo;Brien.</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Examiner on the 23rd February 2017)&nbsp;</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/delayed-grace-reports-due-next-week-says-finian-mcgrath-443618.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/delayed-grace-reports-due-next-week-says-finian-mcgrath-443618.html</a></p>
