Budget 2027 misses opportunity to introduce MART therapy for children with Asthma, society warns

The Government has missed an opportunity to introduce free Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART) for children aged 12-17, the Asthma Society of Ireland said.

At the same time, the Asthma Society has welcomed Budget 2027’s commitment to strengthen community care and expand diagnostic activity.

The Asthma Society said that making MART free for this age group specifically was the central recommendation of their Pre-Budget Submission 2027.

When combining maintenance and reliever medication in one inhaler, MART simplifies the management of asthma, and the Society says that this has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

Improving access to MART could help reduce demand on the health service, through fewer severe asthma attacks and emergency hospital admissions.

Eilís Ní Chaithnía, CEO of the Asthma Society of Ireland, said: “The government has missed an opportunity in this Budget to improve children’s asthma control, prevent severe attacks and reduce avoidable pressure on the health service. Our costed proposal to make Maintenance and Reliever Therapy inhalers free for children aged 12 to 17 offered a practical way to support those outcomes by removing a financial barrier to clinically recommended treatment.

“We are pleased to see real momentum building behind the call for free MART inhalers for children, with engagement from across the political spectrum and strong support from clinicians and people with asthma. We are grateful to everyone who has helped keep this issue on the agenda. That support now needs to translate into funded access. We will continue to push for MART inhalers to be made accessible to everyone with asthma who can benefit from it, regardless of their ability to pay.”