Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to address the House today on the vital issue of men’s health, and in particular, men’s mental health. This is not just a health issue; it is a societal issue, a family issue and a personal issue. It affects every community in Ireland. When we speak about men’s health, we are speaking about fathers, sons, brothers, grandsons, partners and friends. We are speaking about the people who build our homes, teach our children, run our businesses and serve in our Defence Forces. Yet, too often, men’s health, especially men’s mental health, remains a taboo.

In Ireland today, approximately 80% of all suicides are among men. That is not just a number; it represents lives cut short, families devastated and communities left grieving. We know men are less likely to seek help for mental health difficulties. Cultural norms, fear of judgment and the perception that asking for help is a sign of weakness all play a role. While women make up two thirds of those who use counselling services, men remain under-represented. Yet, when men do engage, they benefit greatly. Research shows that men who access therapy often report significant improvements in well-being and resilience. This reluctance to seek help contributes to higher rates of suicide, substance misuse and untreated depression among men. It impacts families, workplaces and the wider economy. It is time to change that narrative and these outcomes.

In the previous Government, and continuing in this Government, the Minister for Health announced a revolution in women’s health services. I believe we need to have a similar revolution in men’s mental health services. The Government has made mental health a priority. Our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, sets out the roadmap for a modern, recovery-oriented mental health service. Its second implementation plan, which I launched earlier this year, focuses on improving access, reducing waiting times and embedding mental health supports in primary care and community settings.

Alongside this, Connecting for Life, our national suicide prevention strategy, continues to guide our efforts to reduce suicide and self-harm. It recognises that men are a priority group and calls for targeted interventions to reach those most at risk. We have also introduced the National Men's Health Action Plan 2024–28, which is the first plan of its kind in Europe. It acknowledges that men experience health differently and that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. It addresses gender-specific risk factors, promotes early detection and seeks to dismantle the barriers that prevent men from seeking help. Legislatively, we are progressing the Mental Health Bill, which will modernise our mental health laws, strengthen rights-based care and ensure that services are delivered with dignity and respect.

In budget 2026, we have made mental health a priority, with a major focus placed on crisis support and suicide prevention. There is over €15 million in new funding for crisis support and suicide reduction measures, which include specialist nursing teams in all model 4 hospital emergency departments out of hours to support people in crisis and three new crisis resolution services, including drop-in Solace crisis cafés as community alternatives to emergency departments in areas with model 3 hospitals. We know already from the five Solace cafés we have opened that presentations by men and women in distress to the emergency departments have reduced by 18% as a result of having those cafés as people's first point of call. We will also have additional suicide crisis assessment nurses, SCANs, to support people in crisis who present to GPs in their communities. We have increased funding for the suicide prevention community and voluntary organisations, including Pieta, and there is €1 million in funding to start the implementation of the next suicide reduction strategy.

The mental health budget for 2026 will be almost €1.6 billion. Mental health funding has now increased by over 50% since I took up my role in 2020. I have also secured with the Minister an unprecedented 300 additional new staff for mental health services next year, representing over 9% of the total growth in health service staffing in 2026. We still have a way to go but significant progress has been made.

A significant initiative is the provision of over 15,000 free counselling sessions for men every year, backed up by €2 million in dedicated annual funding. The programme started on 1 September last and will be delivered in partnership with trusted providers such as Connect Counselling and MyMind, an organisation that offers supports in 20 different languages. Men can access these counselling sessions for free through GP referral and yourmentalhealth.ie/men. Why is this important? Because cost should never be a barrier to mental health supports. Too often men delay seeking help because they fear the financial burden. By removing that barrier we are sending a clear message: help is available and it is free. These sessions will be delivered both in person and online, ensuring flexibility for men in rural areas, men with busy work schedules and men who may feel more comfortable starting their journey in a private setting. Sitting at your kitchen table, you can self-refer to Counselling Connect from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week and speak to a professional counsellor about whatever is going on for you. You can have up to six phone calls, and if you feel at that stage you would like to meet the counsellor in person, that will be arranged.

We are funding dedicated services for men who have worked in our Defence Forces through ONE, the organisation for ex-service personnel. We are also investing in targeted outreach for Traveller men, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ men, who face additional barriers and higher risks. This is about equality as well as equity. Once again, the website is yourmentalhealth.ie/men. I hope everybody working in members' constituency offices will become aware of this in order that they can signpost people to supports that are available free of charge. We will run an online campaign very shortly to get the message out there. It will be a national awareness campaign aimed at breaking down stigma and encouraging men to take that first step. Included will be a targeted media campaign using the full range of communication channels available, including social media, paid search and local radio as well as a co-ordinated approach to stakeholder engagement with a range of voluntary and community partner organisations.

I was very keen to have MyMind on board because it provides counselling supports in 20 different languages around the country. We now have lots of people in the country whose first language is not Irish or English. They come in on permits and they might need access to mental health supports as well, so having MyMind providing those supports is really important. I hope that this campaign will feature real stories from men who have benefited from counselling because nothing is more important than hearing from someone who has walked the same path.

We have also partnered with the Irish College of GPs, which is aware of all these supports. My team in the Department met with over 1,200 GPs online in September to let them know that these supports are available and free of charge and that there are 15,000 counselling hours available and they are recurring.

This is about saving lives. It is about creating a culture where men feel it is okay to say, "I'm not okay." It is about ensuring that when a man reaches out for help, the help is there quickly, locally and without judgment. It is also about knowing that recovery is possible. We know that early intervention works, we know that talking saves lives and we know that when men engage with mental health services, outcomes improve dramatically. We also know there is no health without mental health.

Of course, we cannot stop here. This initiative is a major step forward but it must be part of a broader journey. Over the coming years, we will continue to expand community-based mental health supports, including peer-led programmes and men's sheds initiatives. We will continue to tackle health inequalities, ensuring that marginalised groups are not left behind. We will invest in digital mental health solutions to reach men who may never walk into a clinic but will engage online. We will strengthen collaboration with employers, sports organisations and community groups to promote mental well-being in every setting and for everyone. Everyone in this House and beyond has a role to play in changing the conversation about men's mental health. We need to challenge outdated notions of masculinity that equate vulnerability with weakness. We need to create spaces where men can talk openly and seek help without fear of judgment. To the men listening today: your mental health matters. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength. Whether you are struggling with stress, anxiety or depression or simply feeling overwhelmed, help is there. Take the first step. It could change your life.

I thank the many organisations, advocates and individuals who have worked tirelessly to improve men's health in Ireland. Their efforts are making a difference, and together we can build a society where every man feels supported, valued and able to thrive. The Government is committed to that vision. We will continue to invest, innovate and lead the way in mental health policy because every life matters and every man matters.

I acknowledge the important role of initiatives like Movember. Every November thousands of men across Ireland and around the world grow a moustache - not just for fun but to spark conversations about men's health, raise awareness of mental health challenges and fund vital research and support services. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention and health promotion. The movement works towards a world where men take action to be mentally well and are supported by those around them. I encourage everyone to support Movember and similar campaigns in order to keep men's mental health a national priority.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Minister and the Minister of State. Men's health is not a topic which gets proper attention. There is a silent crisis in men's health which is devastating families and communities across the State. Both the Minister and the Minister of State are correct to appeal to men to look after their health, to seek support, to get checks and to make sure that if there is a difficulty they go to a GP and so on.

It is also the case, however, that far too many people generally, but particularly men, in relation to cancer and cardiac care, very often are left waiting even for a simple diagnostic scan or a scope and so on. The length of time public patients are waiting for scopes and scans is far too long. I know the stress that can place on people who, for example, might fear that they have a cancer or an illness. They will go to the GP, the GP will refer them on for a scan and, unfortunately, they wait far too long.

We all have experience of people contacting our constituency offices, mine in Waterford is no different, and saying that they have been with their GP and are concerned about the possibility of cancer or whatever. These people are waiting for scans and do not know when they will be called. They could be waiting months in some instances. While it is right to say that men should reach out, we also have to make sure that when they reach out - if they go to a GP and if there is a fear of an illness, whether it is cancer or cardiac disease - there is rapid access to a diagnostic scan. That is not always the case.

The facts are very stark in relation to men's health, as laid out in the recent The Real Face of Men's Health report commissioned by Movember - which was mentioned by the Minister and Minister of State - and by the Men's Health Forum in Ireland and research carried out at the South East Technological University in Waterford and Carlow. The HSE's men's health action plan says much the same. Men are dying younger than they should. Two in five men in Ireland will die before the age of 75. Men are 34% more likely to die from cancer and much more likely to die from lifestyle-related illnesses. Men account for four in every five deaths by suicide.

This burden, unfortunately, is not spread equally. Men from lower income backgrounds live, on average, five years less than men from well-off backgrounds. This is a major societal problem that demands a comprehensive Government response. The HSE's action plan acknowledges this emergency. It notes that men are more likely to die from the four main cancers, from circulatory diseases, from respiratory diseases and from external causes of injury. It highlights significant challenges in the area men's mental health, particularly among younger men from lower income or Traveller backgrounds.

Critically, the report highlights the disparity in how the Government resources healthcare. Important funding has been given in recent years for vital women's health services and we still have a long way to go in that area but the HSE is also calling for a commensurate response for men's health. Where was that in the budget? The budget for health seems to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Nobody knows exactly what are the new measures or the new money, or where the latter is going. It seems to be the best kept secret in the Department of Health and the HSE. In fact, we had people from the Irish Cancer Society and the national cancer control programme before us today. None of them was able to tell us if there was any additional funding for cancer services or the national cancer strategy in budget 2026. We suspect that the vast majority of whatever additional funding was put into health this year was for existing levels of service and not for new measures.

That is the important point we have to make. What is really important in healthcare is referral pathways. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler rightly called on men to step forward, to go to their GPs or whomever and to talk to somebody if they have a mental health issue. However, we also have to make sure the resources and the referral pathways are there. That is not always the case. We have heard some horrendous stats today in relation to cancer for both men and women from the representatives of the Irish Cancer Society. We have a responsibility as legislators. The Government has a great responsibility to ensure that resources are put in place in order that when people reach out, they get the care they need.

Across all of these areas, while I welcome the chance to have a debate with the Minister, I have to reinforce the point that it is very frustrating that this year - and I have spoken to senior officials in the Department about this - there was a very clear departure from the normal budgetary process. It has not been not made clear where any of the additional money in health will be spent. I do not believe that is right or the best way to fund a health service. I have no idea. I cannot tell my constituents or any advocate groups that come to me where any additional money is for cardiovascular or cancer services, mental health treatments or any of the matters we are talking about. That is wrong.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on men's health. As a person living with multiple sclerosis, MS, I am going to speak in a personal capacity in order to raise awareness. I will also speak as a TD and use my platform to call for additional resources. I have mentioned it before - and I do not talk about it too much - but at least once a year I come in here and talk about being diagnosed with MS 18 years ago. MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Males and females often have similar symptoms, but there are some differences. As we are talking about men's health today, I will focus on some of those differences. Some of the symptoms that affect men are: vision problems; numbness or tingling; persistent aches and pains; involuntary movements, such as twitches and spasms; difficulties with mobility, walking and balance; fatigue that is not due to physical activity or lack of sleep; and changes in cognition, including brain fog. I have experienced all of these symptoms over the years. I still experience some of them today.

The reason I am talking about this matter is to say that for other men who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, MS, it is not the end of the world. Once you get into the system, you get the care. The problem sometimes is trying to get into the system and getting that diagnosis. Treatment has dramatically improved over the years and there is no doubting that since I was first diagnosed.

I always advise men, especially men newly diagnosed with MS, not to do what I did at first and do Dr. Google, because it brings you down a kind of dark path towards the worst possible outcome. They should take medical advice from their neurologists and link in with MS Ireland, which - I have to say this now, and I have always said it - has been a tremendous support to me regrading my journey with MS. I have managed to live a really active life and have enjoyed a good quality of life. I manage my symptoms to the best of my ability. I am on the third year of a four-year cycle of treatment at the moment, and the prognosis is good.

Deputy Cullinane mentioned the budget. I am trying to decipher where some of the money is going. I support the Neurological Alliance of Ireland in its call for an increase in the number of rehabilitation beds at Peamount hospital in my area from 15 to 25 . That small investment would make a huge impact for people who have MS.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the opportunity to say a few words. I have often stood in this Chamber when we had statements on women's health and looked around to find that there were mostly women present, so I am delighted to make a contribution this afternoon.

I am speaking as a wife, daughter and a granny to a grandson. I am very lucky. My dad is living well. My husband is a cancer survivor and my grandson is thriving. However, I am acutely aware of the Movember report into men's health. It is really worrying that the rate of premature death is 40% higher among males than females in this State. That statistic should give the Government serious pause for thought. Those are preventable deaths. That is exactly what they are. They are preventable, premature and avoidable, and focusing on helping men to live well longer will benefit us all.

As the Minister stated, 80% of suicides involve men. That is phenomenally shocking and speaks to a real lack of services and supports. It should prompt us, as a society, to perhaps reflect on how we deal with and speak about men's mental health.

As a woman, I get very frustrated when women's health issues are discussed as if we are somehow all the same. In other words, that all women have the same physical make-up, the same issues and the same access. That is not true. The Movember report shows us it is not true for men either. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work. We know that 73% of men aged 18 to 24 are concerned about the state of healthcare for men. That is very worrying ,but it is clear that more targeted interventions are needed.

GPs tell us they are concerned and have difficulty engaging with marginalised groups. However, we know that the Government does not monitor health among marginalised groups sufficiently, so it is very hard to intervene when the Government is not actually assessing the level of the issue.

In the few seconds remaining to me, I acknowledge the Marie Keating Foundation's campaign, No Bum Hole Needed. Forgive my use of that language but it is important to say No Bum Hole Needed. The PSA test is a simple blood test. It will save your life. It saves everyone's life, and I encourage any man, when offered the opportunity, to have that test.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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There are a couple things that are really stark in the Movember report. One is that 46% of men from deprived or disadvantaged areas are more likely to die prematurely compared to women living in the same communities. I know the report is 15 years old but, most shockingly, it shows that a lot of work needs to be done. Among male members of the Traveller community, there is a life expectancy of 61.7 years. That is 15 years lower than the life expectancy among member of the general male population. It is stark for such a small community to have such a level of life expectancy, and a lot of suicide.

The rate of suicide among members of the Traveller community is seven times that of the general population. It is important to highlight that fact.

Our mental health services are operating on a shoestring. I want to give a shout out to a couple of people. I refer to Gerry Murray and Gerry Kavanagh who opened a wellness cafe in St. Brigid's hall in Blanchardstown. We were there recently. Those involved with the cafe do incredible work for absolutely free. They get no money other than a little from the HSE. They pay for a lot of what is done out of their own pockets. They do incredible work.

I have raised Genesis mental health services, a counselling service, in the House on many occasions. With just a relatively small amount of funding, Genesis could double the number of people it sees for counselling. It has had to close its waiting list because things are so bad, which shows the level of need that is out there.

I also want to mention the likes of Foróige, Jigsaw Youth Mental Health, Dublin 15 Community Drug Team, Tolka River Project and the Recovery Café. There are so many people out there who are doing incredible work and who are all looking for extra funding. I also want to give a shout out to all the GAA coaches, soccer coaches, teachers, cricket coaches and all of those who are helping and who, in many cases, do so on a voluntary basis. They do just incredible work helping and supporting young men in particular. We have to be so conscious that when we are talking about funding, we mean adequate funding. Otherwise, people are going to die.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I am probably not going to say anything that is much different from what many other Members said. As others stated, there is a lot of really good work being done around men's health. This month, we have seen it most publicly in sport, with Movember and the OddBalls Foundation are becoming familiar to a lot of fans.

As we all agree, men are still reluctant to go to the doctor and share personal information about their health. This could be the difference quite literally between life and death. We still have not cracked the old-fashioned mentality of "Ignore it and I don't have to deal with it." Irish men have to be more proactive about their health, particularly in the context of prostate cancer, as they face unique challenges relating to lifestyle factors and genetic predisposition.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among Irish men. Research shows that the incidence rate has been steadily rising. Despite this, many Irish men remain hesitant to seek medical advice or undergo screenings. This is often due to a reluctance to address health concerns until the symptoms become too severe. This can steal precious weeks and months away. When prostate cancer is caught early, the survival rate is higher. Although, the idea that if you get cancer then prostate cancer is a good one to get is absolute nonsense. That really annoys those of us who have had it. Many men delay seeing a doctor until it is too late, which can reduce treatment options and outcomes. In February 2015, I was told, after years of getting biopsies, that I had cancer and that it had to be removed. It was an aggressive cancer. The cancer came back a number of years later and I had to undergo radiotherapy. I am still being monitored for cancer cells by means of PSA blood tests.

Cancer can be life-changing but the longer you delay, the harder it is to treat. That is my message here today. By becoming more proactive, Irish men can enjoy a healthier quality of life and increase their chances of a healthier future.

I have long advocated for a prostate screening cancer programme. Programmes like BreastCheck and BowelScreen have saved thousands of women's lives, but there is no similar programme for men. I appeal that such a programme be put in place.

There is an expense to cancer. That impacts negatively on people who do not have money. One thing we could do is speak to the big shopping outlets that sell the likes of incontinence pads for men. They can be seen stuck in one corner of a shelf, but there will be a whole row of women's pads. We could ask the likes of Aldi, Lidl, Dunnes Stores and other stores to ensure that men are not treated any differently from women when it comes to accessing these products.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I welcome that we are having statements on men's health. I also acknowledge and pay tribute to Deputies Mark Ward and Seán Crowe for talking about their personal experiences. Leadership is important in terms of a lot of the things we are talking about, namely, breaking down the stigma that exists and helping people to overcome the inability to talk about their experiences. That inability is closely related to so many issues around to men's health. Often, there has been a failure to believe and recognise women's health conditions. For men, it has been about a huge failure to put themselves forward and the stigma and shame of seeking medical help, which we have to change. I acknowledge the Movember report that was published a number of weeks ago. It cast in very stark terms the premature deaths that occur, particularly in deprived areas, and the mental health issues that exist among men.

There are two issues I want to speak about. The first relates to mental health. It is absolutely shocking to think that 80% of those who take their lives in this country are men. We do not want to reduce them to a statistic. Each of those men had a family, a story and a community. That it is so heavily weighted towards men is really shocking. The Samaritans report, Out of sight, out of mind, from 2020 indicated that men in Ireland are three to four times more likely to die by suicide than women. While there is a crucial focus on young men, we know middle-aged men actually have the highest average suicide rate of any age group. Inequality, of course, and disadvantage also play a crucial part. Research from Scotland shows that men living in less well-off or more deprived areas are up to ten times more likely to die by suicide than those from more affluent areas. It is important to say that the suicide rate among Traveller men is over six times higher than the rate for the male population in general. Those are very stark figures. There is a need for real support. The Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, and I have spoken about this, and I welcome her efforts. Certainly, however, a huge amount more needs to be done in this space.

On cancer care, Deputy Cullinane referred to the difficulties in trying to understand how much extra funding is being allocated in respect of cancer care. It is a bit like the third secret of Fatima. I do not know whether we are going to find out or not, because we suspect that maybe there is not any additional funding for cancer care in the budget for next year, and that it will all be down to increased productivity. The reality is that cancer is the leading cause of premature death among men. I know from replies to parliamentary questions we have submitted on prostate cancer, which is, of course, the most significant cancer among men, that just under 39% of all patients get the treatment and care within the national cancer control programme timeframes. That is a serious concern. I have one constituent who got a heightened PSA result in summer 2024. It took until November to get an MRI. It was April by the time he got a biopsy and a diagnosis only happened in June. Surgery took place in September. I took a whole year for that care pathway to play out for him and for him to get the surgery he so badly needed. That is not acceptable.

The other critical point relates to access to drugs. There is a fundamental inequality regarding access to drugs, particularly oncology drugs, between the public and private sectors. I want to reference access to Pluvicto, which is an end-of-line therapy for metastasized prostate cancer. In April, 30 oncologists wrote a letter to the HSE to effectively plead with it to reverse its decision in respect of Pluvicto. This is a drug that is available publicly in Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Slovenia and Greece. In other words, it is widely available in many countries across Europe. It is approved by the European Medicines Agency, EMA. Not only is it a last line of therapy in the US, it is also seen as an appropriate therapy for earlier intervention. Yet, the HSE's clinical decision unit, CDU, has rejected the use of Pluvicto in the public system. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics made the submission for approval. Those who work at the centre are supposed to be the experts on cancer care. They submitted an application for approval, and it was rejected by the CDU. The HSE and the Department of Health need to issue a direction to ensure that this lifesaving drug is made freely available to men within the public system. It should not just be just be available in the private sector.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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Men's health deserves serious attention in this House. Across Ireland, men are struggling with mental health, access to care and a culture that too often tells them to stay silent. I must commend the good work of Pieta House, the Samaritans, Men's Aid and the Irish Men's Shed Association and the fantastic work it does for men struggling with mental health, loneliness and exclusion. Words are easy, but I would like to encourage everyone and advise any man struggling with his mental or physical health to talk to someone. You are not alone.

When we talk about men's health, we must mean all men, including trans men. Their well-being, safety and access to healthcare are part of men's health. That is why recent remarks from certain quarters of this Chamber are deeply concerning. To suggest that the Minister might breach the code of conduct for simply supporting healthcare for trans people is unfounded and unfair.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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Hear, hear.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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Supporting healthcare is not activism. It is governance. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler's commitment, first and foremost as a mother and as a Minister, to ensuring trans young people receive appropriate evidence-based care is exactly what we should expect from a Minister for mental health.

While I agree with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, I must also highlight the shortcomings in healthcare in this regard. Wait list times for the National Gender Service are in excess of ten years. If a cis man was experiencing a hormone imbalance, he would not be expected to wait ten years. The attempts of some politicians to politicise trans healthcare is not leadership. Rather, it is an attempt to sow division where instead we should lead. Trans men are men. Their health is men's health. Compassion in public office is not a breach of conduct; it is our duty.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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I fully support what my colleague, Deputy Kenny, said regarding supporting the Minister on her work in this area. It is very important that work takes place on that side of the House, as well as the Government being held to account. I was present in the Chamber when the Minister made one of the most impactful speeches to the House I have ever seen. We will not allow this to stand in our Parliament or out on the streets regarding what has been done on trans healthcare.

I would like to use my time to talk about the impact of cardiovascular disease on men's health. Each year, 9,000 to 10,000 people in Ireland die from cardiovascular-related illnesses and diseases. Some three quarters of them are men. Of the men aged between 51 and 64, 42% are obese and a further 44% are overweight. One in five men, or 21%, are currently smokers, which significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. I spoke during the debate on the budget and said we have failed in the State's target to make Ireland tobacco free. We are miles behind. Tobacco consumption and smoking rates in this country are still far too high. This is a contributory factor to cardiovascular disease.

Men are more likely to be dependent on alcohol and experience alcohol-related injuries. Mortality rates are greater among men - 36% of adult men drink alcohol regularly compared to 27% of adult women. Blood pressure is higher in men compared to women. The intake of cholesterol is higher in men compared to women and 78% of men aged 45 and older have high cholesterol.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest killers. The Irish Heart Foundation is doing sterling work in trying to educate people in this House and change health policy and attitudes while trying to ensure that we have the necessary screening programmes, education and health supports to reduce cardiovascular disease rates and deaths down. We need the Government to take this far more seriously.

Deputy Sherlock referred to prostate cancer and screenings. We need a State-run prostate cancer screening programme up and running as soon as possible. Screening saves lives and saves the healthcare system time and money. It must be implemented.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome today’s debate on men’s health. Ireland was the first country in the world to adopt a national men’s health policy in 2009 and we have followed through with action plans in 2017 and again in 2024. We have seen progress, with the number of premature deaths down, stronger partnerships across voluntary, academic and health sectors and a far better evidence base to guide what works for men.

However, there is more to do because men in Ireland still die younger than women. The life expectancy for men is 80.5 versus 84.1 for women and 40% of male deaths are still premature. That is the challenge facing us. The agenda is clear. Men carry higher risks in key areas: cancer now accounts for 30.8% of male deaths; 63% of men are overweight or obese; 37% report binge drinking; and men made up 78% of road fatalities in 2023.

We also know men's mental health needs are real and under-treated. Some 16.7% of men aged 40 to 44 report mental health difficulties. Yet men are less likely to seek help early. Our job is to lower the threshold to care and meet men where they are. That is why I particularly welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Butler’s targeted investment this year of €2 million to deliver over 15,000 free counselling sessions for men, with simple referral routes via GPs, yourmentalhealth.ie and trusted partners like Connect Counselling and MyMind. It is practical, stigma-busting and fast to access, exactly the kind of intervention that turns help seeking from a good idea into an easy step.

Policy is also delivering locally . It was great to join the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, at Mount Carmel last week for the official opening of Riverside House Community Eating Disorder Services. It is a state-of-the-art hub for specialist community mental health services for people with eating disorders across south Dublin and Wicklow. In my constituency, men’s sheds in Dalkey, Dún Laoghaire, Blackrock and Loughlinstown are doing quiet, life-saving work, building friendships and developing life skills. There is a project on a bench, and the conversation that follows. You do not have to call it therapy for it to be therapeutic.

Government backing through the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, the Sheds for Life programme and Healthy Ireland funding is money well spent, because connection is often the first and most important intervention. Sometimes the best early intervention tool is the cup of tea someone else makes for you.

We are also targeting high-risk settings, including the Construction Alliance to Reduce Suicide, CAIRDE, project in construction, On Feirm Ground for farmers and the national engage training programme, to name but a few. We can add to that the men’s health action plan 2024-2028 now being implemented by the HSE, a newly appointed national lead for men’s health, and a dedicated combined budget of €1.3 million across Healthy Ireland and the HSE to keep momentum.

I want to commend the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on her efforts. I know she is committed to keep funding services locally, with counselling and talk therapies for men, supporting groups like men’s sheds and, of course, supporting specialist services so men can get the help and support they need when they need it.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on the important topic of men's health, an issue that touches every parish, home and family in Ireland. Today's debate is a milestone for the House. It is the first time that men's health is the sole focus of statements in Dáil Éireann. Often, men's health is discussed when it is too late, such as when a neighbour is ill, a farmer collapses or a family grieves a father, brother or son who did not put his hand out for help. Men's health matters not just to men but to their families, communities and society.

I am happy to acknowledge that Ireland was the first country to adopt a national men's health policy in 2009. Since then, progress has been made but we must build on this work. The HSE action plan Healthy Ireland men 2024-2028 is an important step. The report, The Real Face of Men's Health, highlights the challenges. Premature death among men is 40% higher than women. Men in deprived areas live five years less than those living in other areas. Some four out of five deaths by suicide or road traffic accidents are men.

In rural Ireland, we face specific challenges, including long distances to healthcare, a shortage of GPs and the reality that many men on farms or in trades put their health last. They will bring a tractor for a service before they book a checkup for themselves. That is why organisations like the Irish Men's Shed Association, Macra na Feirme, the Irish Farmers' Association and other community groups must be applauded for the work they are doing.

They are bringing health checks and awareness campaigns straight to the men's communities. It is a simple but very powerful idea. These outreach programmes need more support and funding.

Community initiatives are most important, but a strong health service is critical. In Laois County Council's area and across the midlands, nursing home capacity is under pressure. Families are struggling to find local care. I want at this stage to acknowledge the exceptional work of staff in St. Vincent's hospital in Mountmellick, St. Brigid's Hospital in Shaen and Abbeyleix district hospital, which the Leas-Cheann Comhairle knows about well, but we need more capacity in County Laois. Today, I urge the Minister of State and the HSE to prioritise my request. Mental health is a critical aspect of men's health. Stigma still remains around asking for help for mental health issues. Mental health support must include involvement in local counselling, outreach and community mental health teams and support for programmes like On Feirm Ground and Ahead of the Game. We need to bring services closer to men, tackle the stigma, expand the capacity and support community groups on the ground.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I echo the remarks of Deputy Eoghan Kenny with regard to trans healthcare and, indeed, condemn outright the appalling personalised attack on the Minister of State for her compassion. I have known the Minister of State for a long time, and she is somebody who wears her heart on her sleeve. It is important to have that within the Department of Health. I will always have her back, as I think will nearly everybody in this House, on how she seeks to ensure that Ireland becomes a fairer society.

I would also echo that I think we need, as has been raised, a State-run prostate screening programme for men. The quicker we can roll that out, the better. The risk of prostate cancer is well articulated, but a State-run programme where men would be encouraged to take part is critical.

A lot of colleagues have raised the question of mental health services. The Minister of State has been a champion in that space. I would certainly echo the importance of engaging in rural Ireland, particularly with men on farms in rural communities who are often reluctant to go to their GP. There is fabulous work being done by Macra na Feirme in terms of Make the Moove and so on. There is that difficulty with regard to getting men to talk. The Minister of State will be familiar with Talk to Tom, which was founded in Gorey and works in my community. We also have the Samaritans based in Arklow. They face a particular challenge that unlike a lot of other Samaritans, they are renting a premises. Therefore, I would suggest that when core funding has been taken into account for organisations, regard can be had to where an organisation has to rent premises as opposed to where it may own it. The Minister of State knows only too well the importance of simply being able to talk about mental health issues, particularly for men. It is critical.

Too often in many ways, we actually come at it too late when we try to talk about health. We do not sufficiently invest in health promotion or talking about positive health. As the Minister of State knows, I am a big believer that if we invest in sport, the arts and community activity, that is vitally important for people's physical and mental well-being. As she also knows, I regularly sing the praises of park runs all around the country, and I know people who take part within the park run community. Many of them do it for physical health reasons, but also for mental health reasons. The sense of community that has provided is critical. The Minister of State will be aware that I have urged for quite some time that we look at the introduction of tax relief for gym membership and membership of sporting organisations. As a State, we need to encourage people to be as physically and mentally healthy as possible, and engagement in community activities, whether those are the arts, sport or whatever else, contributes very positively to physical and mental good health. Not everybody is going to run a marathon, although many will be running it this weekend, yet engaging people in sport is a very positive development.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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We all know men can be very reluctant to do anything about their health. Very often, they suffer in silence until it is too late to help. That is both their physical and, very often, mental well-being. We also recognise that men are 34% more likely to die from cancer than women, and that is because they seldom seek help in time. They wait and wait, and there is a little bit of that macho element there. That is something that needs to be dealt with and needs to be acknowledged as well. Waiting lists are getting longer for everything across the country. That is one of the problems we have. When people get a scare or have something wrong with them, a lot of them think to themselves that nobody will be able to see them anyway. That has a knock-on effect on the long waiting lists we see across the State.

I want to raise with the Minister of State examples of two people in my constituency. One constituent, who we will call "A" for Albert, had a history of cancer up to about ten or 15 years ago, so that history was there. He attended the outpatient medical team in University Hospital Galway in March of this year. He was seen, and they said he had a prostate issue and that he would have to have a follow-up and need a biopsy. Nobody came back to him. He contacted the consultant's office several times. The last time he made a call to them, they told him that there were no theatre slots available at that time to have a biopsy. At the end of May, we made representations in respect of this and he was put on the cross-Border medical care list. At that stage, he had been waiting for 12 or 14 weeks to get the biopsy. Nothing happened, though. On 1 September, we finally made more representations in relation to it. At that stage, he had lost two stone in weight. He was getting very worried and very anxious. He had the biopsy on 16 September and now he is in the system. The point I am making is that it takes so long for people to get into the system. In fairness, that used not to be the case with cancer patients. Usually, they were dealt with efficiently and quickly.

We have another situation that is very similar. We will call this man "B" for Bernard. Again, he was referred for a scan for his prostate. He waited from 14 April. He had a phone review on the results. Again, they told him he would need a biopsy to proceed and, again, the waiting list continued and continued. He has been waiting 21 weeks to get the biopsy. This situation is totally unacceptable and we need to do something about it. He had to travel to Galway but he has no transport. It costs him €300 for a taxi to go to that appointment. Those are the kinds of issue that people have out there. That is why a lot of men do not say anything when something is wrong. They hear these stories. At the same time, though, we have to tell these stories because we have to get action on them.

I also want to talk to the Minister of State about mental health issues. I raised with her several times previously the case of Jimmy Loughlin in Sligo, of which I know she is aware, and what happened there. I hope to hear something back from her very soon in respect of that. However, I have another case of a man in my constituency who has a son who is in the care of the mental health services. He is violent and dangerous. When he comes home, he does not take his medication. The man refused to take him home. The HSE services put his son in a taxi and sent him home anyway without a care plan, without any medication. These dangerous situations need to be dealt with. A lot of them are dangerous because the service is not up to the standard it needs to be to provide care for people who have acute mental illness. A lot of those are men, unfortunately. These issues need to be dealt with. I have raised that case with the Minister of State specifically because I know of her remit in regard to mental health. However, we really need action in respect of all of that.

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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I thank the Minister of State for her attendance. I would like to use my time today to highlight the particular and very serious mental health challenges experienced by Traveller men. While the data on mental health outcomes for the Travelling community is in urgent need of updating, we know from the comprehensive All-Ireland Traveller Health Study of 2010 that, at that stage, Traveller men were at much higher risk of death by suicide than probably any other cohort of people in our society. The study showed that suicide accounted for a staggering 11% of all deaths in the Traveller community and 82% of Traveller suicides were among men. Suicide rates among Traveller men are estimated to be six to seven times higher than among settled men. We also know that 59% of Traveller men reported poor mental health in any given month, and that was within a context of persistent discrimination, educational disadvantage, poor housing or accommodation and high unemployment.

I have some experience as a psychologist working with young Traveller men in the Cork mental health services, and I found that experience very rewarding. It clarified to me that the services need to adapt much better to the Travelling community and, in some cases, adopt more of an assertive outreach approach that goes outside a standard therapeutic frame. I very much welcome the establishment of the specialist group for Traveller mental health under Sharing the Vision, and I commend the aims of the national Traveller health action plan.

It is important that the Government matches words with real implementation. We need ring-fenced investment in culturally appropriate, Traveller-led mental health services, designed in collaboration with the Traveller community; the recruitment of dedicated Traveller mental health workers into primary care and community mental health teams; and crucially, we need to update the national dataset on Traveller health in general with clear targets, timelines and accountability mechanisms. I echo Deputy Byrne's endorsement of the Samaritans and the really invaluable work that they do. I was a volunteer with the Samaritans for a number of years in my 20s and I found it to be one of the most formative and fulfilling experiences, particularly working with young offenders in St. Patrick's in Dublin.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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As the Minister of State and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know, every time we have health statements, I question their value, particularly given the backlog of legislation we have relating to the right to home care, legislation relating to CHI and much other legislation, but I see real value in this. It has been great to hear the consistent messages across the House about particular parts of our communities that are affected and the need for an intersectional approach, particularly relating to Traveller men, LGBT people and disabled people. That is important and hopefully it is a message the Department will take away, about focusing on those groups in particular.

There is a shocking statistic that Traveller men live 15 years shorter. It should really concern us about the life expectancy rates. In 2008, the life expectancy of a Traveller man was 61, similar to the life expectancy of the general population in the 1940s. It should be a real cause for concern, in particular given the high levels of suicide among Traveller men, as Deputy Quaide mentioned. I am a member of the Oireachtas Traveller committee. Last week, we had IHREC before us. I will read from its opening statement, because it should be setting off alarm bells in every Department. It quotes from the Council of Europe, which states:

We must confront the injustices faced by Roma and travellers, the racism and discrimination that we allow to persist on a massive scale. This is one of Europe’s greatest human rights scandals.

That is coming from the Council of Europe, echoed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. We need to take really seriously our treatment of Travellers, particularly health outcomes for Travellers.

Similarly, I will touch on the experiences of gay, bi and trans men. Trinity College published a study this year, entitled "Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland", that set out the mental health experiences. Some 27% of people experienced severe or extremely severe levels of depression, 34% experienced severe levels of anxiety, 23% experienced extreme levels of stress, 52% had self-harmed, 64% reported suicidal thoughts and 26% had attempted suicide. There are really concerning levels of poor mental health in that community and it really needs to be a priority. I echo the calls made by others earlier about the importance of trans healthcare. It is lifesaving. We would save people's lives by having better trans healthcare. I support the Minister of State in her efforts to do that. We will always have her back on that. We want to see progress together on that. I would also like to see an expansion of the gay men's health service that currently exists in Dublin. I would like to see those expanded at a regional level across the country. Each region should have a version of that service. It should not just be Dublin.

In the final minute, I would like to touch on the experiences of disabled men. We know from the Disability Federation of Ireland that 43% of disabled people over the age of 15 have reported some level of depression. There are really high levels of depression among people who are disabled. Similarly, of those unable to work because of disability, one in five lives in consistent poverty. We know the real impact that living in poverty has on people's overall health and health outcomes. I hope that, out of today's statements, we get a focus on men from these communities who have much poorer health outcomes. We need to put more resources, focus and energy into reversing some of these trends and changing these stats so that we can have better outcomes for men across Ireland.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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Before I start, I have some visitors in the Gallery from a school who are on leaving certificate applied, LCA, work experience. I want to say thank you to them. They have done excellent work so far this week.

I would like to pay tribute in this debate to a group of my constituents in Dublin South-Central, the Dublin 12 Men's Shed. I had the pleasure of going to visit them recently with my constituency manager, Amy King, who is also in the Gallery. We had a really inspiring discussion with them. They have become embedded in their community. They have provided a safe, welcoming space for all men to go, meet and share their skills, work on community projects and support one another. It is playing a crucial role in reducing social exclusion and isolation, improving mental health for the men and building a stronger sense of community across Dublin 12. They do a number of projects. They work on wood projects, from planters to Christmas decorations to pens and bird boxes. They showed us amazing stuff. That is when the magic happens, because when they are busy doing things, they are able to talk, listen and create a place where they can cry and laugh. It is a happy and concerning environment. They are so good at it now that they have a waiting list. To that end, I am going to be very cheeky and say that this group really needs funding to build a tiny extension out the back so there is extra workspace. They are working outside. They have an inside space but want to be able to use another part, to be able to work there, to include more men. If at all possible, I would love for the Government to invest in this men's shed. I am sure there are other men's sheds that I just have not visited yet that are equally as important, but I want to pay tribute to those men. They are saving lives. It is so important but it is so simple. That is what makes it brilliant. It does not have to be complicated. Reaching out to one another, being with others, sharing your story and listening to others is what makes us human.

Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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I will discuss an epidemic in this country that one in five of us experiences, which is loneliness. A report recently came out from the European Commission that said that Ireland was the loneliest country in Europe. The effects of that on young men and older men are significant and have far-reaching consequences. The former US surgeon general said that loneliness was the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That is how damaging it is to our mental health and our social health. There is a strong correlation between the loneliness that young men often experience, the antisocial behaviour that sometimes occurs on our streets, and the massive social costs that we see across our country. In this moment, as we are coming to the close of 2025, we went through the Covid pandemic, which I think exacerbated the major risks of loneliness for many people. The social media environment is not helping for young men.

The housing crisis and inequality in our society have exacerbated the loneliness that many people are feeling, to the point that 40% of 16-to-24-year-olds in this country experience some strong level of loneliness. Marry that with the highest difficulty in the EU of accessing mental health services. I know the Minister of State cares very much about that and she is working hard on it, but we need to do much better. In the context of that, the last Government had an action plan on loneliness and did not deliver it. It had committed to that in its programme for Government. This Government does not have the same commitment. We need to do so much better. If we do not, we will see an exacerbation not just of loneliness but of all those social costs. Young men will turn to blaming women, immigrants and people from the LGBT community and we will all be suffering from that. History is littered with memories of young men doing harmful things to themselves and others because of these kinds of deleterious effects. I encourage the Government to focus on it.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of Deputy Michael Cahill, I welcome the South Kerry Development Partnership to the Gallery. I hope they, like Deputy Cummins' group, will enjoy the day here in the Oireachtas and have a pleasant trip.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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First of all, I want to reference Danny Hanley and the Movember Ireland team that are here today. They represent many of the issues that we talk about. For too long in this State, men's health, and I suppose health in general, has not always been the topic that it should have been and it has been underdiscussed. I welcome the fact that I am able to speak on it today. I think it is the first time in the history of the Dáil that there has been an opportunity for statements such as this. The recently published Movember report outlined that premature death was 40% higher among males compared with females.

It also pointed out that the stigma around seeking help was seen as the biggest barrier to men accessing support for their mental and physical health. We as a Government, and Members on all sides of the House, have a duty to ensure that we do our best and improve these statistics.

My uncle was a TD before me and a spokesperson for Fine Gael on mental health. Mental health is something that wen need to be conscious of as part of this. Indeed, he introduced the Bill to decriminalise suicide and was at the forefront of leading the mental health discussion in modern Ireland. I think of him today in that regard.

I want to speak about a number of different topics, such as the importance of our community and of the role sport can play in our community. Even last night, our under-14s team in Leixlip, which I am a coach for, won a county championship. It was a great win but it showed the importance of community. Not only were there 13- and 14-year-old boys engaging as a team, but it also brought the community and coaches together and provided an outlet. They have the ability to go that way but not everybody is involved in sport and that is something we would be conscious of. I have become more and more conscious as time has gone on of the elderly. A previous speaker spoke about loneliness. If anything, loneliness became an even bigger issue during Covid. That is something we should constantly be conscious of. Things like Meals on Wheels can make a massive impact on someone's day and that is something we are all very aware of.

The other day, I spoke to someone in Leixlip. Ms Bracey Daniels talking about walking football, what they are able to do with walking football and how that had transformed the social side for many elderly people. I also see a bowls club developing in Leixlip GAA club. These are the sorts of interaction from a community side that we can really get behind to change individuals' lives.

With men's health, we are always thinking about what we can do better. What we need to do is continue to raise awareness among the young, but also among the elderly, about raising these issues with their doctors. Men from all sides are often the last ones to say they need help and to go to a doctor. Today provides us with the opportunity to raise awareness.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for giving me this time. I thank the Minister of State for giving us the opportunity to speak on this.

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to contribute to the statements on men's health. As a GP, I have seen the reality of men's health in practice. We have come a long way in recent years since the publication of the national men's health policy in 2009 but Movember's "The Real Face of Men's Health" report shows that many challenges remain. I do not want to rehash some of the figures already put out here but we know about the premature deaths in the male population, with men dying earlier than women. A stark statistic is that men in deprived areas are 150% more likely to die before 75 than men in the least deprived areas. There is also the whole issue of Travellers' health and issues of gay health where these communities are particularly susceptible to ill health and premature death.

We know many of the causes surrounding these diseases are preventable with the right focus. From my own perspective as a GP, I have witnessed that quiet hesitation before a man decides to open up. It is a salutary reminder of how difficult it can be for some men to report and share. Time, discomfiture discussing personal matters, stoicism, a fear of inadequacy and work concerns are barriers. Some 97% of GPs have spoken to a man with suicidal thoughts in the past year, with only 14% feeling very confident supporting that man. This is not because of lack of care or confidence but because of time pressures and the need for easily accessible care pathways, recognising that suicide remains the single biggest killer of young men in this country, most especially in the Traveller community. I acknowledge my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for her sustained leadership in this area and her announcement of €2 million in new funding for community-based mental health supports, which will make a tangible difference.

The physical picture is equally alarming. Men are three times more likely to die prematurely than women. They drink more, they smoke more, and they carry a high blood pressure burden. With the increased prevalence of diabetes, high cholesterol and poor diet, this is creating a perfect storm. The five leading causes of morbidity and mortality among men are coronary artery disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary airways disease, lung cancer and suicide. All of these can be mitigated with lifestyle and medical modification. The chronic disease management programmes for secondary prevention are an exemplar in general practice internationally and have been shown to help. The forthcoming national men's action plan 2024 to 2028 offers an opportunity to build and expand programmes like Engage and Men in Mind, targeting high-risk groups and scaling up initiatives such as men's sheds On Feirm Ground and Ahead of the Game, which enables men to take ownership of their health. I must recognise the high morbidity and mortality among the farming community in rural areas, often surrounded by loneliness and an inability to go and seek help.

Encouragingly, three out of four adults now express concern about men's health. That public awareness should help us and empower us towards real change. If we continue to invest in prevention, training and community-based supports, we can deliver better outcomes not only for men, but for their families and for the well-being of Irish society as a whole.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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Fáiltím go bhfuil na ráitis seo ar siúl inniu. Is ábhar dár gcóras sláinte nach bhfuair go leor airde thar na blianta is ar cóir go bhfaigheadh sé. Is léir go bhfuil difríocht mhór ann ó thaobh na ngalar a tholgann fir agus cé chomh tinn a éiríonn siad, go mór mór ó thaobh na meabhairshláinte ach go leor ábhar eile. Tá an dá ghné thábhachtach ó thaobh na mban agus na hábhair sláinte atá tábhachtach dóibh siúd. Tá ábhar sláinte faoi leith atá an-bhainteach leo. Tá gá go mbeadh plean faoi leith ansin. Ach tá sé fíor d'fhir freisin.

I welcome these statements. This is an area of our healthcare - men's health - that has not got enough attention over the years. It clearly should. There are clearly significant differences and particular issues that relate to men. It is appropriate that we have a focus on women's health and the various issues particular to women, for example, reproductive rights and supports for that, but it is right that the particular issues facing men are focused on as well.

We see two in five men in Ireland will die before the age of 75. Men account for four out of every five suicide deaths in Ireland. Men are 34% more likely to die from cancer than women. It is clearly right that there is a particular strategy and set of policies that are required. I acknowledge "The Real Face of Men's Health" report, published by the National Centre for Men's Health at SETU, which identified the extent to which men died from preventable diseases and that the preventable diseases in men cost Ireland more than €700 million in 2023 alone.

Several of the issues relate to cancer and the extent to which particular cancers affect men. While men die from them, mortality is not the only thing we should be looking at. Sometimes, the treatment and effects or side-effects of that can cause huge quality-of-life issues, and this needs consideration. I also acknowledge the very welcome initiative that exists in terms of Movember and the work that has been done in that context as regards prostate cancer and other cancers.

To briefly make two further points, it is worth saying that, ultimately, we will continue to have these issues unless we tackle the social issues underpinning them. An awful lot of men I meet in my constituency office are struggling with housing issues, which is contributing to the mental pressures and the loneliness they face. They are either not able to begin their lives or they have ended up in emergency accommodation towards the end of their lives. We have to tackle the social issues. Like so many other issues in terms of men's health and men's mental health, the housing crisis has a huge impact on that.

Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I welcome this discussion. I commend the Minister of State on bringing this to the House. It is astonishing when you read that males represented 72% of premature deaths, which is most stark. In 2022, 79% of all deaths by suicide were among males and young men suffering from depression are diagnosed at half the rate of women, which is another stark figure. It is fair to say that men's health is a national issue and demands a co-ordinated, compassionate and courageous response. One of the things I have often said is that we can have all the conversations we like here today about men's health, remaining positive and all the things that go with it.

For those people who are harbouring thoughts of isolation, depression or suicidal ideation or all of these things, though, I encourage them to seek help by telling a trusted friend. That might be the person's wife, daughter or next-door neighbour and then, more importantly, for that trusted friend to know exactly how to respond - not to judge them, not to add to their woes, but to be prepared to offer support, help, direction and guidance. That is all any of us can do. If I had a euro for every time I had that conversation with people who felt that maybe I would understand, I would be able to go and have a good drink for myself. They think and feel that it is perfectly okay to speak to someone who has a knowledge perhaps of what it is like to be devastated as a consequence of an early death, be that suicide or otherwise. This is the big plea I am making today. Let us do more and let us not be afraid to ask somebody if they are in trouble emotionally. They may be very quick to say that they are and then they are on the first steps to recovery. I cannot say that often enough or loudly enough. It is a fact. For those people sitting at home today listening to all the contributions and hearing all the statistics, I believe that is what we should be aiming towards. I urge the Minister of State to continue the good work and let us have more conversation on this.

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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Four out of five suicides in Ireland are male. This figure is deeply distressing and behind every number is a man, often young, often in the prime of his life, whose loss devastates families, friends, and communities across the country. Every one of these deaths leaves a ripple of grief that stretches far beyond the immediate circle. It not just a statistic; it is a husband, a son, a brother, a team-mate or a colleague. Ireland has shown leadership in this space before. We were the first country in the world to publish a national men's health policy in 2009. This initiative made a real and measurable difference. Premature deaths among men declined, awareness approved and the national framework for action began to take shape. More than 15 years on, we know there is still a long way to go. The report entitled "The Real Face of Men's Health", published by the Movember earlier this year, makes it clear that mental health remains a most urgent and worrying issue. GPs across Irish are telling us the same story of stigma, silence, time pressure, and of a continuing reluctance among men to seek help. Ninety-seven percent of GPs said they had seen male patients in suicidal distress last year, most between the ages of 18 and 51, yet only a small fraction feel they have the full training or capacity to respond as they would wish. That is why the new €2 million initiative providing 15,000 free counselling sessions for men is such an important and timely step forward. Delivered through trusted partners like Connect Counselling and MyMind and accessed directly through GPs, it means men can reach support earlier, before a crisis escalates. It recognises that services must reflect how men actually seek help, and that the pathway must be simple, affordable and free from stigma.

We also know that community-based initiatives work. Initiatives such as men's sheds, On Feirm Ground and Engage have proven their ability to reach those who might otherwise remain isolated. Time and again, we see that connection is the first step towards recovery. Investing in men's mental health is not just about reducing suicide rates. It is also about restoring hope, rebuilding confidence, and ensuring that men of all ages feel seen, supported and valued.

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Thankfully, the issue of men's health has received a lot more attention in recent years, as the statistics are pretty stark. According to the Movember report, 42% of all male deaths in 2022 were premature, with the male death rate higher across all five leading causes of death. These are members of our families dying prematurely and leaving behind an irreplaceable hole in their communities. The impact of Covid should not be underestimated. The pandemic was a perfect storm for many who suffered from or were susceptible to poor mental health. We all know the people who suffered during Covid. Active communities were suddenly isolated and the essential links that people had to one another were severed. Thankfully, we are all in a much better place now but we cannot ignore what happened in Covid and the lasting impact it has had on so many. Those unprecedented times may make for great history books but were potentially catastrophic for the health and well-being of our communities.

Unfortunately, many men are still reluctant to seek care or treatment, or even speak about mental health challenges. This reluctance is often rooted in stigma and old societal norms that are still with us. This is especially problematic in deprived areas where men's life expectancy is five years lower than those living in affluent areas. Increasing awareness and access to mental health resources is important if we want to make progress. That is why the implementation of the men's health action plan, as outlined in the programme for Government, is an important step in raising public awareness of men's physical, mental and emotional health and the importance of adopting healthier lifestyles and behaviours.

The previous speaker mentioned the men's sheds, which are a really positive and practical movement. Many of these in my own constituency are funded by central government. They bring men together and give them an outlet. Ireland was the first country in the world to publish a national men's health policy in 2009. We led the way then and we can do so again by making sure that men's health gets the attention, support and priority it deserves.

Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the contributions on the topic of men's health. To hear that this may be the first time in the history of the Dáil that this issue has been discussed on its own is a good sign of the direction we are travelling in. I want to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for all her work on mental health and men's mental health in particular. I was recently at an event in Carlow, as was the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor. It was really heartening to see such a strong light being shone on men's mental health and men's health and well-being in general by both of those fine politicians. I thank them for doing that in Carlow.

In my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, I am proud to say that communities recognise how vitally important it is that we address the challenges facing men's health and well-being. Carlow County Council has been very proactive in this regard. It launched a farmers well-being initiative in 2024, which continues this year. This is highlighting the health and well-being challenges faced by members of the farming community. Last year, 340 local farmers were engaged in conversations on farm succession, will making, gambling addiction, time management and farm safety. It is important that men and farmers feel able to openly discuss their well being and their mental health as well. Elsewhere, the National Centre for Men's Health is based in SETU in Carlow and is led by Dr. Noel Richardson. It is important to highlight the hard work of local community organisations and initiatives that have innovative approaches to men's mental health. In particular, I would like to mention Carlow Mental Health Association of which I was a committee member for many years. It ran a Mensana Festival two years ago that was exclusively focused on talking about men's health and well-being. I want to give the association a shoutout for all its hard work.

I know there are now more counselling supports available for men and I once again would like to congratulate and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for ensuring that the €2 million allocated in budget 2025 will now be rolled out year on year. Work is being done on initiatives that destigmatise men's mental health in Ireland. I commend the Minister of State for ensuring that we have the six-week mental health promotion, entitled "Minding Your Wellbeing". I also want to mention the funding that is being provided to ONE Veterans, the organisation for ex-military personnel.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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There is certainly a crisis in men's health and it is great that we are having this discussion today. It is quite an historic occasion. A recent report for the South East Technological University, SETU, revealed that 40% of male deaths that occurred before the age of 75 were premature and many were preventable.

County Wexford ranks second in this State in terms of premature male mortality rates per county. This could affect someone's husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle or nephew and, of course, me or anybody here. The leading causes of death among Irish men are coronary heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease, lung cancer and, of course, suicide. These are not just numbers. They represent lives cut short, families devastated and communities left grieving. Cancer, particularly prostate cancer, remains a major concern. Neoplasms or tumours, cysts, etc., are the leading cause of death among men, yet early detection rates remain low. We must ask why this is this the case. Respiratory diseases, often linked to lifestyle factors, are claiming lives at alarming rates.

Perhaps most concerning is the state of mental health. Suicide is now the leading cause of death among young men in Ireland. Four out of five suicides involve men. Why is this not viewed as an emergency? Are men's lives expendable? Why is this the first time in the history of the Oireachtas apparently that we have had this discussion in Leinster House? That tells us something. Depression, anxiety and substance abuse are widespread, yet in 2025, when we are supposed to be a very enlightened society, the stigma continues causing those who need the services most to suffer in silence. Too many men delay seeking medical attention until it is too late.

Service gaps are leaving men behind. It is certainly evident in the constituency of Wicklow-Wexford. Trojan work is being done by a number of community-based groups such as Talk to Tom but they have never received one cent of statutory funding, even though they have saved numerous live across the south east. The Samaritans in Arklow are under pressure. They are renting a premises. These services should be State-funded. There is a real shortage of male-specific counselling and outreach programmes and many men still view their symptoms as minor complaints that they do not want to trouble a doctor with, so we have very low engagement.

Men in poorer areas are 150% more likely to die before the age of 75 than those in wealthier communities. We need to target services properly and we need proper targeted awareness campaigns, better access to screening and mental health services and a cultural shift that encourages people to seek help. We must empower our GPs because they are often the first port of call in a storm. One GP quoted in the report said, "97% of us spoke to a man with suicidal thoughts last year, but only 14% felt confident supporting him", which is quite worrying. We need to invest in preventative care and dismantle the stigma because behind every statistic is a story and behind every story is a life we need to save.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. In some ways, there will be a certain amount of repetition because we have all been asked by the Movember movement to reference its report titled, "The Real Face of Men's Health", and its key findings and recommendations. If there is repetition, it is no harm because it is sending a message. I will repeat that men are dying prematurely in Ireland and that the figure is 40% higher than the rate for females. This is something that has happened over a long period of time. We need to recognise that men's health is a specific issue. I am not in any denigrating issues relating to women. I have to note that. However, men's health has been the poor relation in terms of discourse. All five leading causes of death are substantially higher among men than women.

It is also worth pointing out that deprivation gives someone five years less life compared to someone in a more affluent area. While men are 40% more likely to die prematurely than women, the rate is 46% for men in deprived areas. These are the stark consequences that we need to look at. They are nearly 1.5 times more likely to die prematurely because of deprivation.

Other speakers referred to the supports needed by GPs and the difficulty of engaging with males aged under 17 and marginalised males from ethnic minorities, members of the Traveller community, those who are LBTQI+ and members of the farming community. It is worth referencing that we need an updated study for members of the Traveller community because I think the last survey was done in 2008. That survey recognised that life expectancy for male Travellers was 15 years lower than the general male population. That needs to be looked at as well.

The report mentioned more than eight in ten Irish people think that a men's health action plan is a good idea. That is why they have a number of key asks for the men's action plan from 2024 to 2028 and wish to see progress on that and for an additional €10 million to be invested, in tandem with the commissioning of a full cost analysis because we do not want to just waste money. They want an outreach approach to engage boys, men and carers in the community in adopting healthy lifestyles and self-management.

In that respect, one thing the report did not mention, but which is hugely important, is the increasing toxification on social media. We have had different discussions on that. What it means to be a man and what masculinity is have been toxified - deliberately, in many cases - and people are afraid to expand and be true to themselves in terms of what it means to be a man in Ireland in 2025. We need more discussion of that. Men come in all shapes and forms, and more power to them.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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I also pay tribute to the men's health campaigners who have worked so hard to get this issue debated in the House today. Again, I am shocked by the fact that this is the first time that we in Leinster House have had a debate solely on men's health. In many ways, the fact that we have not had the necessary focus on this issue is really telling.

A month ago, Movember launched The Real Face of Men's Health report. This is a significant milestone in the battle to save lives. The results are startling. It has been mentioned that premature death among men is 40% higher than it is among women. This is an astounding figure. It is a figure that should be in everybody's heads already. The fact that it is invisible is amazing.

Members know that economic circumstances play a massive role. The lives of men living in deprivation are, on average, five years shorter than men on upper incomes. It has to be mentioned that Traveller men have a life expectancy 15 years shorter than the average man, which is incredible. Deprivation is a significant player in this. Men in deprivation are 46% more likely to have a premature death than women in the same communities. A total of 66% of overdoses and accidental poisonings happen to men. Men suffer far more from addiction. Men suffer from the crisis of loneliness far more and, if we are honest, men are very unsure of their role in society at the moment. A total of 80% of traffic accidents happen to men. Approximately 80% of suicides involve men. I attended two funerals over the summer where men in their 50s committed suicide, leaving heartbroken families behind them. The rate of suicide among Travellers is six times higher than it is among the rest of the population. These are eye-watering figures. This is an emergency, an invisible one.

The truth is that these issues are fixable. I also offer support for making sure the key asks of The Real Face of Men's Health are implemented, in terms of the necessity for the report to be progressed, for necessary funding to be implemented and for a cost analysis to be developed. Education is necessary. I had cancer in the past five years and I have also had a stroke. Thank God, I had the necessary and speedy treatment to be able to deal with those issues but lots of men, for many reasons, do not access treatment and we need to educate them to do so. However, we also need the treatment to be there and, if we are honest, in many ways the treatment is not there, even when men seek to access it. Figures in the report show that only 14% of GPS are confident in helping men with suicidality. We need to tailor those services to the needs of men who are suffering.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Today, for the first time in the history of the Dáil, we are giving men's health the attention it urgently deserves. Ireland led the world in 2009 with the first national men's health policy but the latest version of the report, The Real Face of Men's Health, shows we are at a crossroads. In 2022, 40.2% of all male deaths were premature. Men in the most deprived areas are 150% more likely to die before the age of 75 than those in affluent areas. The leading causes of this - heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, suicide and chronic respiratory diseases - are largely preventable. The economic cost of men's ill health exceeds €1 billion annually, of which €760 million is considered preventable. Heartbreakingly, four out of five deaths by suicides in Ireland involve males. Most of us in this House have been touched by suicide and those of us who have know the devastating effect it has on those left behind.

We need to do more for men who feel they cannot talk and that they have nowhere to go. These are preventable deaths. There needs to be more investment in services for men. Too many are dying by suicide.

This is not just about men. It is about families, communities and the future of our nation. We must act now. Movember calls for €10 million investment to implement the national men's health action plan and a cross-government strategy to address this crisis. Recently, a man who is not from my constituency, contacted me. His doctor told him he had a tumour in his head but he could not get a scan. This man pays for private health insurance, believe it or not. He was told he could be waiting weeks for the scan and he knew it was urgent. We worked with him to go to Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast and he rang me after he had contacted the Belfast hospital, which had him up within a week, with a treatment plan started. It is not good enough, whether it is men's or women's health. However, we are talking about men's health and it is hard enough to get most men to doctors or hospitals. For them then to be told that they could be waiting weeks or months for a scan could cause unknown torment to their mental health.

The Irish Men's Sheds Association describes the sheds as places where the greatest tool is a kettle, emphasising the power of a chat over a cup of tea. It also supports national health campaigns such as sheds for life, which brings health checks, mental health, workshops and lifestyle advice directly into the shed. I give a shout-out to the men's sheds in west Cork, including in Bantry, Bandon, Castletownbere, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, Kinsale and Skibbereen. If people are in west Cork, I encourage them to pop into these men's sheds for a cuppa and a chat. They are great places for people who need to get out.

I also commend the people who deliver meals on wheels services in rural communities because a lot of people who get the dinners tell me that is the only person they meet during the day. The postman is also a gift from God. These are people who are delivering to people in different ways and they need to be commended.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on men's health. I commend the Minister of State on the investment she made in August to provide more than 15,000 free counselling sessions to men. This is really welcome because quite often men, and particularly young men, are afraid to speak about how they are doing, how they are coping with the pressures of life and how things are going. It is important that young men, and all men, are aware that these sessions are available and that they can avail of them through their GPs. I commend the Minister of State on that investment.

One thing we need to do is to move away from the mindset of "I will be grand". There is still a mindset of "It will be fine" or "I will be grand; don't worry about me". Men need to be encouraged to avail of services, engage with prevention and early detection and ensure they mitigate risks as and when they arise. There is also an onus to tackle isolation. The men's sheds movement and what it has achieved are incredible. I have met many of its members in my constituency, including in Athenry and Monivea. They provide an incredible service that leads to people having a space where they can meet, talk, engage and get the social connection that is being lost in our communities. It is important we meet men where they are. Many men are engaged in different activities such as in men's sheds or in their GAA clubs. We need to send information to these organisations to ensure as many men as possible are availing of relevant supports.

Another thing it is important to discuss briefly is the effect social media have on the mental health of young people, particularly the negative effects. Young people are under greater societal pressure than ever before because everything they do is being watched and they are also watching everything everyone else is doing. As a result, there is a huge comparison effect, which is having significant negative mental impacts on young people because they are not sure where they are supposed to be or what they are supposed to be doing.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. I echo the comments that were made about her tenure in charge of mental health policy and delivery in the Government. I also echo what the previous speaker said about the role of men's sheds and give a shout-out to ExWell.

Dr. Noel McCaffrey has been very involved in sport for many years. I am recovering from a pretty important medical intervention. ExWell is an exercise or kind of physical rehabilitation programme for anyone who is recovering from heart issues, cancers or chronic diseases. It has been rolled out and in my constituency there are three or four venues where scores of people turn up. It is essentially a kind of aerobics that is free for the first ten or 12 weeks. The older people who are there talk about the difference that exercise has made to their quality of life. It is subsidised by the HSE and is a positive thing. Social groups, choirs and golf societies have grown out of it. There has been a strong social dimension to it.

My experience is that I had open heart surgery a few years ago and thankfully I am recovering well. However, the one lesson I learned from that, one which I pass on to people whether or not they are willing to listen, is one sentence, not a long paper. It is that the doctor is your friend. When I talk to male colleagues who are talking about their health, I condense it to that one sentence - the doctor is your friend. Many male colleagues I chat to wince at the thought when I ask them whether they have spoken to their GPs.

It is probably not a fair analogy, but when I searched for analogies, it is the one I found. A lot of men would know pretty quickly if there was a problem with their cars from the sound and would address it, generally pretty quickly. We are not the best at self-diagnostics, because there are many times when things are going on inside our bodies and without a blood test or check, we cannot know something is wrong. Often, we have a physical, emotional or psychological sense that something is a little amiss and we need to check it out. I have distilled it for physical health - I will repeat it - as "the doctor is your friend".

I can only speak for myself, but I think we are all afraid of getting bad news. That is understandable, but I suspect that in a huge proportion of cases things are treatable. Is it not better to get news about something and have it treated, than not seek help and find that whatever has been ailing you has got to a point where it is untreatable or the invention required is far more acute? The doctor is your friend.

In mental health, as a practising psychotherapist, for men I reduced the idea to this sentence - I do not like oversimplifying things, but I have said this to the Minister of State before in the Chamber - "lack of expression leads to depression". It is a simple message about the talking cure, talking to people. What is interesting about the statistics that were presented, and which I will not restate, is that at one end of the scale, in our youth, we probably have the fittest generation of people we ever had. Someone mentioned sport and I was in Parnell Park last Sunday. On the other end of the scale, we have an explosion of chronic illnesses. There are a lot of interventions that can be made policy-wise. The Government cannot do everything, but it can look at addressing a bit of the fear, sending the message that the doctor is your friend and exploring what frightens people out of taking steps.

As a slight aside, women were patronised terribly in advertising over the years, but I notice that men are often stereotyped as stupid in a lot of modern advertising.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Please conclude, Deputy.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle please repeat that?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has to conclude.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Is there another speaker? I apologise. I did not realise Deputy John Connolly was after me.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I was so interested in what the Deputy was saying, I let him talk.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I want to finish with the positive line that the doctor is your friend. I will have to leave it to another debate to finish the other thought.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. To echo some of the sentiments of Deputy Lahart, there is a sense that men do not look after their own physical health and, possibly, mental health as well as they should. Opportunities like this to highlight the need to make sure people are aware of the supports that are available, and that it is important to look after their health, are appropriate. This is particularly the case because, as I understand it, November is a month where there is an organised campaign to promote awareness of men's health.

I will speak about one health issue that affects men disproportionately, as the data has shown us, and that is the issue of addiction and substance abuse. According to the Health Research Board, men are more likely to use illicit drugs, binge drink and engage in high-risk gambling behaviours than women. Alcohol remains the most common substance for which people seek help, and the majority of those presenting for treatment are men. The annual report of the Coolmine addiction centre in 2025 stated that in Dublin, cocaine accounted for 36% of all treatment presentations in the first half of 2025, with alcohol at 30%. This trend is particularly strong among young men aged 25 to 34, who are also more likely to engage in polysubstance abuse. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has stated that problem gambling is far more prevalent among young men, especially those aged 25 to 34, and men are also more likely to gamble online and suffer financial harm. The Coolmine centre also provided the data that men are twice as likely as women to use drugs. There is, therefore, an issue that is clearly affecting men disproportionately.

I have a particular concern. The whole area of addiction treatment is another aspect of our healthcare provision where we rely a lot on agencies and bodies other than the HSE to provide primary care and secondary care. It is something we need to look at. In my constituency office recently, I met two people who were waiting to get into the addiction treatment centre at Cuan Mhuire, Coolarne. I can only imagine the mental trauma it would cause for somebody, when seeking help to try to deal with an addiction, to be told there is a waiting list. I contacted Cuan Mhuire and the staff there were very helpful.

Another issue that is prevalent among young men who suffer addiction is the necessity to rely on emergency accommodation, so they are possibly suffering disproportionately in terms of housing as well. We need to look at the whole area of addiction. We need to ask whether we can resource the services better and bring more of them into the sphere of the HSE.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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When we read the stark figures on men's health in Ireland, they should be ringing alarm bells across the Government. The statistics we have are not just numbers; they are a national crisis. Every one of those numbers represents a family member, friend or loved one. Let us be clear about the reality facing men in Ireland. Men account for four in every five suicide deaths in Ireland. Men are 34% more likely to die from cancer than women. Behind these figures are tens of thousands of men suffering in silence. The harsh truth is that Government inaction is accelerating the crisis.

Yesterday, I telephoned my GP for an appointment. I was told it would take 20 days just to see a nurse, with the wait list for the GP even longer. Let us imagine a young man struggling with anxiety or depression who finally gathers the courage to ask for help. For him, a delay like this is not just an inconvenience. It can be lethal.

Yet, once again, where the Government is found wanting, it is the local community that steps up. The most powerful example I have seen is the incredible work of the men's sheds across Carlow and Kilkenny. These sheds provide a unique and vital level of support. In the Ferrybank men's shed, I witnessed a warm and welcoming environment for older men with disabilities while I was working with the Brothers of Charity. The Tullow men’s shed has a diverse mix of nationalities sharing a wealth of life experience. In Thomastown, the men's shed runs a fantastic shop that breathes new life into old furniture, giving the men a profound sense of joy and achievement in their labour. It is where I have picked up many bits and pieces over the years for my own family home.

Beyond the projects, there is one constant, and that is the role of the kitchen, the hub where men gather to have a chat and a cup of tea, and talk about life, the struggles they may be facing and the advice they can share. It is a space that goes far beyond its core purpose. The Castlecomer men's shed and so many other men’s sheds across Carlow and Kilkenny take on project after project where the support goes beyond supporting one another and ripples out into the wider community. These men's sheds have become a crucial base for getting information on health and well-being directly to men. It is encouraging to see this movement grow with the recent official opening in Ballyraggett. I hope that shed and all the men’s sheds continue to grow from strength to strength.

As the mother of four boys, I am acutely aware of the effect that social media is having on children like them. It is so important for children's mental health for people to encourage their children to talk. Even though we are all busy, I always take time to talk to the children and ask them if they are okay. That should be encouraged more. It does not take a lot out of somebody's life to chat to their children.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak on such an important issue. It is welcome that we are discussing this. I find it odd, and it is noticeable, how little we discuss men's health in this House. Maybe that is something we all need to work on to make sure we bring the issue more to the fore in the Chamber. It is an issue that needs attention. It is certainly one form of gender imbalance that we need to address, given it is discussed so little in the House. There seems to be a preference, unfortunately, to demonise men and boys in our society. We know that men are vastly and disproportionately more likely to commit suicide. Indeed, the CSO has pointed out, in the most recent available data, that in 2021, both males and females aged 50 to 54 years had the highest crude suicide rate per 100,000, yet this rate was 29.5 for men and 9.2 for females. That is very concerning. It justifies the need to raise mental health issues more often in this Chamber, in particular the impact it can have on men, and to discuss ideas and solutions.

I also want to refer to farmers’ mental health. I bring this up because at the Tullamore show recently, I spoke with the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA. It is a fantastic farming organisation and I commend it on its work. Any time I visit its stand, it has a section on men's health, in particular mental health, and it is constantly promoting the need for more supports, particularly for men engaged in the farming community who need support.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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This is a very important debate. Men are slower to go to doctors than women, especially men on their own. I know that when men have wives and partners, they see after them and make them go. Men are tough and they persevere with pain, and they often let themselves go. I have known of too many cases where they waited too long, and they were at stage 4, where little could be done for them. I saw a man who eventually jumped out of his machine and sought help, but it was too late. He stayed at it too long. He was a great man.

There are fellows milking cows and even younger men who are waiting to be called in the public system. What I say to those fellows who are waiting is this: if the wait is too long when something important is diagnosed by their GP, they should put their hands in their pockets themselves. There is no one as badly off as that. Maybe they are leaving it after them and minding it for someone else. That is a mistake. If they have it at all and if the wait on the public list is too long, they should do it. We all decry having to wait because people should be seen after medically, whatever about anything else. Men have to take it upon themselves to see after themselves first.

Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent)
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I am grateful for this opportunity. I acknowledge the "him" in my life who contributed greatly to getting me in here. I am grateful to the Movember organisation which provided us with recent research into the whole area of men's health. It is an area that I have a particular interest in. I found a module on men's health from 2003 from the North-Eastern Health Board. Despite criticism, I acknowledge how far we came between 2003 and the policy in 2009, but also how much further we have to go. Pivotal to that is the contribution of men's sheds, On Feirm Ground and the local sports partnerships that now deliver specific men-orientated programmes, in particular Men on the Move and programmes for those aged over 55. I acknowledge those. A couple of speakers made a point about accessibility. The recently formatted and agreed community pharmacy agreement, which will take effect from 1 January next year, will provide affordable and accessible men's healthcare and, indeed, healthcare for everybody. That is an opportunity to access help on the main street.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak about men's health and describe some of the initiatives that my Department and the HSE have in place to improve men's health. As a society, we are living longer and Ireland has one of the highest life expectancies in the EU. This should be celebrated, but it also brings challenges. We need to help people to enjoy good health and well-being at every stage of life and try to close the life expectancy gap between men and women. The Healthy Ireland vision is one where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health and well-being to their full potential and where well-being is valued at every level in society. Achieving this vision requires a whole of government and whole of society approach. My Department supports a range of programmes and partnerships to improve men's health.

The HSE has recently appointed a national programme manager to implement the men's health action plan. Alongside the voluntary sector, the HSE has led out on the development of a number of tailored programmes and campaigns on men's health. Engage, the national men's health training programme, provides health and community professionals with insights and skills on how to effectively engage men. This pioneering programme aims to improve the gender expertise of our health and social care workforce in relation to engaging men on their health. This training is delivered by HSE health promotion and improvement and co-ordinated by the Men's Development Network. Each year, the HSE provides funding for men's health week, which aims to raise awareness of men's health issues through public campaigns and community events across Ireland.

I acknowledge the invaluable work of the Irish Men's Sheds Association. My Department, along with the Department of rural and community development and the HSE, allocates funding to the association which does such excellent work in our communities. Men's sheds offer a supportive social environment for men, leading to reduce isolation, a stronger sense of community and improved health and well-being. There are over 450 men's sheds now established throughout the country. The sheds also deliver the sheds for life programme. This involves health workshops, screenings and wellness activities over a ten-week period. Topics such as healthy eating and physical activity are covered, along with mental health and chronic disease prevention. The aim is to support men in more open and meaningful discussion around their physical and mental well-being.

I also mention programmes, such as Moving On, which is a community-based physical activity programme delivered by the local sports partnerships. It has been successful in reaching men who might not otherwise participate in exercise classes and similar classes. It gives them a chance. As someone who is learning in my role, I agree with other speakers that it is about communication and information, and letting men know what is available for them. We have such good schemes and services in place and other things we can help with. On Feirm Ground is another successful initiative. This is a partnership programme between my Department and the Department of agriculture. It trains agricultural advisers and veterinary staff to recognise signs of stress, mental health issues and ill health among farmers and make referrals to their doctor and talk about it. This is an excellent example of cross-government work. I acknowledge the leadership demonstrated by my colleagues in relation to improving farmer health and well-being.

Another area that I am passionate about is reducing the gender gap in life expectancy and improving the health and well-being of men. This means driving programmes such as those I outlined and encouraging greater participation in screening and health checks, which are vital. I am mindful that men account for over 70% of the cases treated for problem drug use last year. As Deputies know, the topic of drugs is within my remit. Men have also accounted for the majority of drug poisoning deaths every year since 2012. While it is positive that men engage with drug services in large numbers, it is important that we focus on prevention and address the root causes of problematic drug use in men's lives at earlier stages. We must make health services more accessible to men, expand our models and encourage men to seek help. That is one area we are promoting. We need say, "Seek help; it is there." I am committed to supporting the implementation of the men's health action plan in the HSE. I will be exploring the opportunities, with Healthy Ireland, for further cross-government work in 2026. I will seek to place a real focus on prevention and education in our upcoming national drug strategy. I look forward to updating the House on this as the drafting progresses.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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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.