Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with what other Senators have said about Neknomination regarding the IT aspect of it, and also personal responsibility, peer pressure and ensuring that the chain is broken.

Senator O'Keeffe spoke about diet. I am sure some Senators saw a television programme last night about how age related macular degeneration can be reversed with diet. The Taoiseach opened a fine new building for the world renowned research centre in Waterford Institute of Technology in 2012, which is proving to be successful. In Ireland we spend more than €133 million annually on age related macular degeneration and we need to focus on prevention rather than cure. Some 4% of people in their 40s suffer from it, 9% of people in their 50s, 23% of people in their 60s, and 45% of people aged over 70. That means that nearly half the population is suffering from this by the time they reach 70 at a time when our population is ageing. We are looking at a health budget that is widening every day. The Minister for Health has been invited to the House to discuss another subject. When he comes, we should add this matter to that debate. Prevention is 100 times better than cure. The research in the Waterford Institute of Technology has shown the benefit of eating green vegetables and a good healthy diet. We should add that to the debate when the Minister comes in, given the condition's prevalence in Ireland.