Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Cardiovascular Health Policy: Discussion

Photo of Frances BlackFrances Black (Independent)
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I thank all our witnesses for their very informative presentations. I have learned an awful lot. One thing that kept coming into my mind is that my mother used to say prevention is better than cure, and how true that is, listening to all the witnesses. A lot of the questions have been covered. I am interested in a couple of specific areas. Mr. Collins mentioned looking at air pollution through a health lens and that it is a huge public health concern. Could he say a little more about that? He mentioned fuels like coal and peat. Is gas in there as well? Should the committee link in with the climate action committee on this and explore it a little further? I think the awareness of this is very limited. I certainly had not been aware that air pollution was connected with heart health at all. That is my first question for Mr. Collins.

In Mr. Johnson's opening statement he mentioned the Croí MySláinte programme as a community healthcare model. I would love to hear a little more about that and how it works.

I think it was Mr. Collins who mentioned Healthy Ireland - or was it health and well-being - and how little funding they have received. That could be the Department that could look at prevention. If they had more funding, what more do the witnesses think they could do?

Finally, maybe Ms Walsh could speak a little about the relationship between alcohol and heart disease.