Dr. Mary Tilki:

Senator Colm Burke asked what support and what engagement we get from the professional migrants. In many cases, they could be more aware of what is happening. Ms McShannon made the point that they do not wish to engage with what they perceive to be an old or traditional Irish culture. However, once they are aware of the position of those who came before them or indeed the second generation, many of them are willing to help and to give their support. We have professional networks in different cities, including Manchester, Leeds and London. Many of our organisations also are recruiting people from professional backgrounds to their boards, that is, from legal, financial and human resources backgrounds because in some cases we have issues with governance in our more traditional organisations and therefore are bringing in people. Many young lawyers and people with expertise in the field are doingpro bonowork - one who comes to mind initially actually works with Birmingham Irish groups and is helping people with industrial injuries, asbestosis, symphysiotomies and things like that - they are doing a lot of good work. Moreover, through the Cuimhne Projects, we hope to recruit more people - not just from health backgrounds because they often have negative views about dementia - but from professional backgrounds who would be sufficiently confident and articulate to champion the cause and to present information. We hope to recruit more of those people as part of this volunteer programme. As I mentioned, some of the new Irish have very few connections with the older Irish population because they perceive them as being older, more traditional and having nothing to do with them. Another point that is worth making is that some of the older generation have a fairly negative view of the second generation. They often are referred to as plastic Paddies although, as Deputy McLellan noted, they were brought up very much in an Irish culture and are proud of their heritage. They often are highly offended by an older generation who call them plastic Paddies. We actually use those people a lot more.
In response to the other question on what screening programmes are available, there is a three-year cervical screening programme from about the age of 16 or 17 onwards. There is mammography from the age of 57 until the age of 73. I have friends who are GP-practice nurses who tell me that when an Irish woman comes into the practice for whatever reason, they push her down on the table and try to get her through that screening process because Irish women are reluctant to make appointments. While prostate screening also is available, Irish men are very reluctant in this regard but we are working on that at present. Bowel cancer screening is available in the United Kingdom where one gets a little packet through the post but again, Irish people throw it in the dustbin and do not wish to have anything to do with it. The facilities are there, although they are not perfect and are not necessarily very sensitive. However, we need to do more work about getting people to take them up and use them. As for the cancer and alcohol links, it is a sensitive issue in our community - I am as sensitive about it as anyone else - because we are labelled drunks and all the nasty things that go with that. Sometimes, health authorities are frightened to do anything about it, so we must make that link. The link between alcohol and suicide is recognised quite widely in the majority population but as nobody makes the same link with Irish people, there is much more work to be done in that regard.
Finally, on the question the Cathaoirleach asked about the NHS statistics, data about the Irish are collected for many things. Information is not available on cancer registries or on GP practice records although it is getting better. However, what happens to the data that are collected is that the Irish are aggregated into a big amorphous "white" category within which the poor health of the Irish is lost. The problem is that quite often, ethnicity is perceived as a black thing, a skin colour issue, not about people from other migrant groups and we are working hard to change that. I always am harping on about it and nagging and pestering people but in all honesty, it is a very big issue for providers to deal with and if they forget about it, it gives them a little bit of scope. When we have made progress, it can be very good but then one gets a new officer, a new ethos or something so one must start all over again.