Feargal Quinn (Independent)

A number of us attended the commemoration at Arbour Hill of those who died for Ireland in 1916. I mention this because of the pride I have in our Army. The professionalism on display when the President laid the wreath this morning leaves me with little doubt that the Army deserves huge respect.

Over the weekend the Irish Pharmacy Union issued a statement about fatalities from cardiovascular disease and the fact that we can do something about it. The union called for a heart disease screening programme to be implemented. A considerable number of people die from heart attacks and strokes but making defibrillators available would save a large proportion of these people from death. It would not necessarily cost the State anything if every organisation employing 100 people or more made at least one defibrillator available. This is an initiative that has been pursued in a number of countries in Europe and it is something we could introduce here in order to save lives.