Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Senator Power said, she can afford that but many cannot. I have read the Finnish study and the Minister of State outlined the way she is going. Education is a key factor and she is on that journey. It is staggering what Finland achieved. Aside from the 500,000 people who are suffering, there is a significant cost to the health service, which could be dramatically reduced.Senator Gilroy said that asthma accounts for 15,000 bed days a year in hospital. If we reduce that by 90%, it will be down to 1,500 bed days every year. Those bed days could be used in other ways.

I will return to the issue of education. The Asthma Society and the HSE have given us much information. That is what we are discussing and we can educate parents, families, patients, GPs, nurses and pharmacists. Senator Power mentioned the EpiPen and that an inhaler can now be dispensed by a pharmacy without prescription. My little daughter is only a mild asthmatic. I was in Kilkenny at the heritage conference recently when she had an attack and she called me. She did not have her inhaler because she has mild asthma. I said, "What do you mean you do not have your inhaler?" I went to the presentation in Kilkenny and ran into the pharmacy. The pharmacist said she could not give it to me because I did not have a prescription. The Minister of State has passed the legislation. She should inform pharmacists soon that they can dispense inhalers without a prescription because it is serious when a child or adult cannot breathe. The training will be rolled out but pharmacists should know that they can give inhalers to help people.

We talked a lot about Ireland. Unfortunately, we have the fourth largest instance of asthma in the world. It is not something we are proud of and we all question why this is. I will ask the Minister of State a question about joining the dots. Environmental conditions contribute to asthma and allergies and air quality has a huge effect on asthma sufferers. Will the Department of Health and Children join the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to monitor the air quality in Ireland and crystallise a vision and strategy for the future to improve our air quality? It is fantastic that we have stopped smoking and we have great plans on climate change. We get our pollen counts from the UK because we do not have our own pollen count. Pollen is the name of the game for asthma sufferers in the summer months. Damp, mould and stress are also factors. Thoraxhas published peer-reviewed research. The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand cites processed foods, a diet high in sugar and fat, and fast food. Senator Eamonn Coghlan said earlier that long ago we knew a few people with asthma but it has become an epidemic. The HSE should keep up to date with the peer-reviewed research. Diet is becoming a modern plague and sometimes what we eat is a worry.

I thank Senator Mullins who was collecting for the Asthma Society earlier. If any Senators want to offer their time at the weekend to collect for the Asthma Society, it will be delighted. Senator Gilroy said correctly that we have a plan and now we need the timetable. I thank the Minister of State for the timetable she has laid out. In addition to her promise on medications, I ask her to push the HSE to move on in a timely manner. The Asthma Society is doing great work but we have a serious problem in this country.

We have discussed our damp, mouldy climate and diet. We have to move in a timely manner. Much of the research and work has been done since 2011. Given her responsibilities in the mental health area, the Minister of State has many things to worry about. This is a bit of low-hanging fruit. It is chronic but we have to address it.

The Acting Chairman will make me sit down. I could talk for the evening because I have so much to say. We should communicate with the pharmacists so they know they can give out inhalers without prescription. I thank everyone and ask them to continue to discuss this subject because almost half a million of our citizens are suffering from this. The Minister of State should reduce the cost of the medication and perhaps the introduction of a chronic illness card should be on the agenda in future for asthma sufferers.