James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me time to raise this important issue, namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to provide core funding for the continuation and expansion of osteoporosis services. These services are currently provided by the Irish Osteoporosis Society, IOS, which is a charitable organisation. It will be forced to close without such funding, leaving the public and health professionals without a point of contact that is invaluable in terms of accessing information on osteoporosis treatment and prevention.

The Irish Osteoporosis Society is the only organisation in the country dedicated to assisting those with osteoporosis. It runs a help line, distributes information leaflets, runs conferences for health care professionals and organises approximately 130 lectures a year for the general public. It raises awareness of osteoporosis through television, radio and poster advertising campaigns as it is an extremely debilitating disease with which many people are unfamiliar until they the are diagnosed as having it.

One in five men and one in three women — one in two women over 65 years of age — as well as many children are affected by osteoporosis. It is, however, preventable and treatable in the majority of people but early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Since the disease is silent, a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA, scan of the spine is the only recommended method of detection.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease affecting people throughout the world and its widespread occurrence led to the publication of EU regulations in 1998 that put the onus on member state governments to fund osteoporosis charities. This year the Government did just that but the importance of the continuation and extension of such funding cannot be emphasised too strongly. Not only does such investment benefit the suffers of this disease but it is an exercise in joined-up thinking as money spent on prevention and early intervention can save millions in hospital costs and reduce the occupancy of hospital beds. If more funds were available to the Irish Osteoporosis Society, the admittance of low trauma fractures to hospital accident and emergency departments would also be significantly reduced.

Currently the IOS operates with a staff of two to cover the entire country and this has led to their being forced to work a 72-hour week to keep up with the volume of demand. The society is finding it extremely difficult to attract new personnel as it is impossible to attract people with the right experience when there is no guarantee that the organisation will still be operating in a year's time.

I ask the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Hoctor, to make a commitment to funding this organisation as it performs a valuable role in the prevention and detection of a crippling disease that creeps up unheralded on so many unsuspecting people. Anything that can be done to prevent a disease that can, with hard work and funding, be prevented must be done. Essential funding will be the life blood of the Irish Osteoporosis Society and will allow its valuable work to prevent a disease that is increasing daily due to the stresses of modern life to continue. There may be a perception that this is a condition suffered only by the elderly but it knows no age barriers and we are all at risk.

I plead with the Minister of State to continue funding this important society as it provides a valuable service to the elderly and not so elderly in society. Many sufferers of osteoporosis have approached me recently with their concerns regarding the Government's low funding of the Irish Osteoporosis Society.

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