Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Commissioner Andriukaitis for his very challenging presentation of priorities for the year. Our committee is very proactive in dealing with many of the issues he raised, and we have a broad remit extending from the health area to children's rights and the care of the elderly. At the end of our meeting I will present to the Commissioner a copy of a related report dealing with the issue of concussion in sport. It is a growing concern across our continent. It is important that the committee welcomes feedback from the Commissioner on the issue of concussion in sport, and I hope he finds it merits action by the European Union.

The committee has been very proactive about many of the issues raised by the Commissioner. For example, recent meetings have included discussion on the area of rare diseases and their prevention, coeliac disease, food labelling issues, the response to Ebola, legislation to ban smoking in cars with children present and regulation of the cosmetic industry. Before the Commissioner arrived this morning, we heard about the challenging cost of medical indemnity insurance, which is becoming an international phenomenon.