Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on men's health, which is a priority in the programme for Government. I thank all Deputies from their contributions to this important debate. They showed a genuine interest in this hugely important topic and the Government will very much take that on board.

I will refer to the commitments set out in the programme for Government in relation to mental health, which is a priority. It includes the implementation of the men's health action plan to increase health literacy and raise public awareness of boys' and men's physical, mental and emotional health. While there have been improvements in men's health overall, men still have a lower life expectancy than women and have higher mortality rates for the leading causes of death, such as heart disease, cancer and suicide. The publication of the Health Service Executive's action plan for men's health 2024-2028 is a significant and important step in continuing the momentum and excellent progress that has been made in the area of men's health practice in Ireland in recent years. I wish to progress and build momentum into the future.

The programme for Government also calls for funding to carry out research into the gender life expectancy gap and develop appropriate responses. There is also a commitment to research, implement and evaluate cancer prevention and early detection initiatives, including in prostate cancer, and promote the uptake of the HPV vaccine for young men and boys. It also calls for the expansion of mental health initiatives targeting men and the implementation of strategies aimed at reducing suicide and self-harm among men. It highlights the need to continue to fund and support local groups like men's sheds and active retirement communities. As everyone has said, we cannot overstate the importance of men's sheds and what they have brought. They provide a safe environment for men to meet up and discuss their issues. They are hugely important.

In my area within the Department of Health, I have secured an extra €2 million for meals on wheels and an extra €82 million for an additional 1.7 million of home support hours. This will benefit men as well.

I take the opportunity to reflect on the challenges highlighted today in relation to men's health, which we must tackle through policy and practice. The recognition of men's health as a distinct policy priority has evolved significantly over the past two decades. In 2009, we became the first country in the world to publish a men's health policy. That has been succeeded by two health action plans, in 2017 and 2024. The Department of Health, the HSE and numerous community and voluntary organisations have been working in close partnership over the past 20 years to implement men's health policies and action plans to improve the health and well-being of boys and men in Ireland. This reminds us that mental health is not just a matter of individual lifestyle, but is shaped by the social, economic and environmental factors in which we live, work and grow. We must, therefore, take a broad, inclusive approach, one that engages men themselves, but also addresses the wider determinants of health.

This is why addressing the social determinants of health and targeting men most in need are listed as key priorities in the recent mental health action plan. By aligning closely with broader health system reforms and community initiatives, we must endeavour to ensure that men's health is not treated in isolation but as an integral part of all health policies. Any effective men's health policy must target those subgroups of men who are most at risk and most underserved by existing services. It is crucial that we maintain momentum and funding for men's health initiatives. Government support for men's health remains firm. Recent funding for male counselling supports and men's sheds further establishes this commitment.

Ireland has shown strong leadership and innovation in the area of men's health. We have to build a foundation through policy and practice. Moving forward, our focus will be on supporting those men most in need and engaging men and boys as allies in health. This must also include improving the well-being of families and communities connected to men. That is a crucial factor in terms of support, in terms of partners and family. Ultimately, it has to be an inclusive model. Today's debate is quite significant. We are supportive of these matters in government and we want to work on them on a cross-party basis.

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