Tributes for Kenneth, 39, after death in car smash
New drugs delays as cash gone
Kenneth Connor TRIBUTES have been paid to a karate champion who lost his life in a road accident at the weekend.
Kenneth Connor, 39, was killed when his car collided with a pick-up truck on the N55 at Tubberclare, near Glasson, Co Westmeath, at 5.30pm on Friday.
The father-of-two’s body was removed to Midland Regional Hospital for a postmortem.
Yesterday St Mary’s Karate Club in Athlone paid tribute to their colleague saying he was a superb member of the club who won several titles.
One local member Mark Geoghegan wrote: “Rest in peace Kenny, a great character in the dojo .... !
“Paired up with Kenny on the dojo floor lots of times, had some great laughs and conversations.
“Lots of memories and will be sadly missed .... RIP.”
Local soccer club Saint Peters FC also paid tribute. Spokesman Paul Mcgrath said: “Kenny played ball with St Peter FC and Gentex for years.
“He will be sadly missed by his friends and family in Athlone.”
Mr Connor, of College Park, Athlone, is survived by his partner Aisling, son Evan, daughter Sienna, father Paddy and four siblings.
His Requiem Mass takes place this morning in Saint Peter & Paul’s Church.
MUM, CO CLARE
YOUNG children are set to face further delays in accessing potentially life-saving medicines, as the HSE has already spent most of its 2019 funding for new drugs.
The health service has approved 15 new medicines this year, which have the potential to benefit up to 3,000 people.
It spends €2.3billion on drugs each year, according to Prof Michael Barry, head of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics.
And the 15 new drugs approved to date this year represent an investment of €150million.
But Prof Barry told how within the past two months the HSE has “almost exhausted” the total funding available for 2019. He told the Sunday Business Post:
“It is not surprising we have reached this point where we struggle to pay for new innovative therapies.
“Frankly, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened well before now, given the cascade of high-cost medicines for cancer and rare diseases.”
The State has previously With mum Sinead
To withhold only known treatment is both immoral & unethical SINEAD PEREZ
received criticism from the pharma sector for failing to fund vital new and innovative drugs to patients facing debilitating or terminal diseases.
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association has said Ireland lags behind other European countries in providing people with access to new and innovative drugs.