Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the raising of this equality issue by the Deputy. I agree with what he has said about the schools system. Children do not live in schools. They are influenced by many things outside the school system. They start school at the age of four or five when so many things have already happened to them and influenced their lives. They key to this is empowering the parents in terms of diet and lifestyle in the home. If one comes from an area that is steeped in disillusionment, one can be sucked into a pattern of addiction in which one is attracted by vices like alcohol and substance abuse. Obviously, that has knock-on effects on the wider community. It is about empowerment and prevention. As the Deputy quite rightly said, it is also about providing services and resources to those who are suffering from cancer-related illnesses.

A wider societal approach is necessary here. As I have said previously, if we take an area-based approach, if we ask agencies to interlock with each other and - fundamentally - if we empower people, particularly young mothers, to think differently about diet, oral language and literacy skills and lifestyle and to take a fresh approach to parenting, it can be a starting point that leads to a long-term change in the life expectancy of people in certain disadvantaged areas. A report like this is a wake-up call for everybody. It is refreshing to have a discussion like this in the House because it is the real stuff of equality. It is an area in which policies and politicians can make a real difference. I appreciate the raising of this topic by the Deputy. I will personally raise it with the Minister when he returns. I think that, collectively, we can make some real differences in this area. It is not just a health issue. Many different strands are involved in it. Unfortunately, in government and in policy formation we sometimes tend to compartmentalise these areas far too much.

However, we are in broad agreement as to the strategy we should take. We should have a continuing discussion on this matter.

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