Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I welcome this opportunity to speak on men's health, which is a priority in the programme for Government. In 2009, Ireland was the first country in the world to develop a national men's health policy. The men's health policy sets out a comprehensive and, I hope, ambitious framework with a series of objectives aimed at improving men's health. It was followed by two action plans. One was published in 2017, with a more recent one published in 2024. A clear commitment in the programme for Government, which I was proud to be involved in negotiating, is to increase literacy and raise awareness among men and boys about the important of physical, mental and emotional health. We know men in Ireland today are living longer and healthier lives than previous generations but they continue to bear a disproportionate burden of illness and premature mortality and, as a recent report published by Movember stated, "too many men are dying too young." While the gap between male and female life expectancy has narrowed in recent times, male life expectancy still falls behind women by 3.5 years in Ireland. The research tells us that 40% of all male deaths, prior to 75 years of age, in 2022 were considered premature. These deaths were 40% higher among males compared to women in Ireland. These are not just numbers, however. They are our fathers, our brothers, our sons and our friends. The impact of male-specific cancers is also well-documented and the incidences of both prostate and testicular cancer, particularly in young men, are on the increase. Therefore, we have a lot to recognise.

We have to acknowledge that some groups of men experience a disproportion burden of ill-health compared to other men. Men in the most deprived communities of Ireland are one and a half times more likely to die prematurely, compared to the most affluent men, which is not right. They are also almost three and a half times more likely to die by diseases of the respiratory system, diseases of the circulatory system, accidents and suicides. For example, life expectancy of a Traveller man is 15 years less than the general male population. This is a reality that we must confront with action and compassion. It really is a conversation that matters.

The men's health action plan targets specific issues like men's mental health and suicide prevention, men's chronic disease preventing and improving the health service uptake among men. It also places a stronger focus on health equity, meaning we will prioritise interventions for men who are most vulnerable, whether due to socioeconomic disadvantage, social inclusion or minority status. While Healthy Ireland leads on the implementation of men's health, there is also a significant focus on men's health within the national cancer control programme, the national screening service, and the National Office for Suicide Prevention. Male pelvic cancer survivorship and rehabilitation programmes are a key part of cancer survivorship pathways and they significantly improve patient outcomes.

Funding for the male pelvic cancer survivorship programme was funded through Healthy Ireland and is currently being piloted in Cork and Dublin. Over the past year, close to 180 patients across both areas have been enrolled in survivorship clinics. These services are advanced nurse practitioner-led with clinical nurse specialists and consultant urologist supports. Work is under way at a European level on prostate screening which aims to explore the feasibility of a risk-stratified screening programme to help reduce morbidity and mortality caused by the disease. We will consider any proposed expansion of the screening through the established evidence-driven protocols which we use, namely, the national screening advisory committee, which is our independent expert group that provides advice to me on screening programmes and their expansion. I am determined to support our screening programmes which are a valuable part of our health service enabling early treatment and care for many people and improving the overall health of our population.

We know, however, that rigid gender norms can harm everyone. Sometimes, they can discourage men from seeking help and from expressing vulnerability, or they can reinforce inequalities that negatively affect women, families and communities. By engaging men in conversations about gender equality broadly, we create opportunities for men to become the same partners in building a fairer, healthier society, which is of benefit to everyone.

Just like women's health, men's health is everyone's business. Men's health matters because improving men's health benefits not just men but has important ripple effect for women, for children's health and for wider communities. By improving men's health we aim to ensure our policies not only improve men's health outcomes but also help shape a more equitable and a more compassionate nation. We have witnessed notable improvements in the health and life-expectancy of our male population but men's health remains an area that requires really focused attention and sustained policy action which we will take.

Today, I ask all the men listening to take a step, book a checkup, talk to a friend and seek support. They matter and their health matters. Men's health matters and I am very glad we are having statements on this today.

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