Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Seanad Éireann:
- recognises the objectives of Vision 2020 led by the World Health Organisation to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020;
- welcomes the establishment of the HSE National Programme for Eye Care which aims to reduce the incidence of avoidable sight loss through the development and implementation of fit-for-purpose care pathways and referral protocols;
- welcomes the establishment of the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme to screen and treat diabetic retinopathy which is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age in Ireland;
- recognises the strong service delivery record and commitment of a range of different professionals to eye care in Ireland;
- notes the recommendations for a national vision strategy by the National Vision Coalition, in a report called Framework to Adopt a Strategic Approach for Vision Health in Ireland;
- notes the findings by the National Vision Coalition in its report called Economic Cost and Burden of Eye Diseases and Preventable Blindness in Ireland that five people per week became blind in Ireland since 2010, despite 75 to 80% of blindness being preventable and that up to €76 million could be saved annually if earlier intervention to prevent eye disease and blindness is prioritised; and
- calls on the Minister for Health to act upon the recommendations of the National Vision Coalition for a national vision strategy and to implement cost-effective measures to prevent a further 260 people per year becoming blind in Ireland.”.

I welcome the newly-appointed Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, to the House. He was a frequent visitor to the House in his previous capacity as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The health portfolio poses an enormous challenge for the Minister. However, I have no doubt that he is well up for it and will make a significant impact. It is fitting that on his first visit to this House as Minister for Health we are discussing this important issue.
As the Minister will be aware, more than 220,000 people in this country are either blind or visually impaired, 80%, or four out of every five cases, of which is preventable. By the end of this week, five people in this country will have lost their sight. In four out of five of these cases this could be prevented by way of early detection and intervention. They are frightening statistics.
In 2003, Ireland signed up to the World Health Organization 2020 Vision Strategy, which pledged to eliminate preventable blindness by 2020. Unfortunately, while there have been some successes in Ireland, in real terms very little has happened since 2003. As a result of the inaction of numerous Administrations the people involved in eye care in this country, including all of the NGOs, Fighting Blindness, the NCBI, the medical profession, the pharmaceutical companies and, most important, service users - people who are blind - decided to come together and formulate a strategy. This strategy, described as an overarching vision strategy compiled by all the stakeholders and people affected, was launched in 2013 to great acclaim.
Having read the strategy I am of the view it is simple, focused and targeted. It contains 11 key objectives which I believe any fair-minded person would agree are the correct objectives. Most important, its vision is the elimination of preventable blindness by 2020. In other words, to ensure that the quality of life of the four out of every five people who potentially will go blind in the future is protected and enhanced.
Early intervention is extremely important in all walks of life. As a doctor the Minister will be aware that the earlier one intervenes in any medical situation the better the chance of success. The situation in terms of eye care is no different. The earlier the detection of eye problems, be that glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and so on and the quicker the treatment provided, the more likely slight loss will be stemmed. I hope that today we will get a commitment from the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, that the HSE will take on board the vision strategy and will establish a strategy of its own encapsulating the views, objectives and targets of as set out by the national vision coalition.
We have reached the stage in this country whereby a long-term approach to health care is needed. For too long, we have been reactive as opposed to proactive in terms of dealing with situations that present. Investment now will result in savings long term. Between now and 2020 the cost to the State of eye care will be more than €2.2 billion. In 2010, the cost to the State as a result of blindness, sight loss and vision impairment was €220 million. I understand Grant Thornton was retained to undertake a cost benefit analysis-impact study of the cost of blindness in this country, which analysis identified a possible saving of €78 million if proper interventions were put in place and if the goals and objectives of the strategy were implemented. For me, it is a no-brainer. As in other areas of society, early intervention saves money in the long run. However, this is not all about saving money. This is about protecting an invaluable resource for many thousands of our citizens. It is a beautiful day today. While Members here have the benefit of being able to see that beauty and the sunshine, there are others in the Visitors Gallery who cannot, all of whom I welcome. Most of the stakeholders involved in the vision strategy are in the Visitors Gallery now. On behalf of citizen Ireland and the Oireachtas I thank them for their commitment to ensuring that we will reduce the number of people annually in this country who lose their sight.
We owe it to the people who cannot see the beautiful day it is today to ensure that future generations of people in this country who have eyesight conditions will have their blindness prevented. My sight loss was unpreventable. I was born with it. No medical intervention of any kind would have prevented my being 84% blind. However, that blindness in respect of four out of five people in this country could be prevented poses a challenge to all of us, including me as an Oireachtas Member with life experience of sight loss, to do everything in our power to ensure this does not happen. It poses a challenge to the Oireachtas, the Government and all the stakeholders. In terms of the challenge poses to the stakeholders, in my view they have signed up to and stood up to that challenge.

They have put their ideas, proposals and resources behind this strategy. I sincerely hope that tonight Seanad Éireann will unanimously support the motion. I am somewhat disappointed an amendment has been tabled, but I realise it refers to a separate issue related to funding for the deaf community. I will let the Members who have proposed it speak about it, but there should not be any confusion. I hope this House will unanimously support the ideals, objectives, targets and, hopefully, the prevention that will happen as a result of this House supporting the vision strategy and the Government implementing it.

I look forward to the debate and the engagement. I particularly look forward to hearing the comments of the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and to summing up at the end of the debate.