Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The matter I raise is a follow-up to a presentation to the Joint Committee on Health last week. The GAA made a submission calling for the establishment of a task force on concussion injury comprising representatives of sports organisations, sports medicine bodies and primary and post-primary schools. The main focus of the task force should be to review successful pubic health campaigns in countries such as Canada and the United States in relation to concussion injury; plan and implement a national awareness campaign; run a targeted awareness in primary and post-primary schools for pupils, parents and teachers; and develop educational resources such as online training courses, educational videos and information leaflets.

The deficiencies in care were highlighted in a submission by Professor John M. Ryan to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children as follows:

Despite the increased publicity around the problem that concussion in sport presents and despite the increasing awareness around concussion, there
remain deficiencies in Ireland in knowledge translation around the management of concussion particularly at local level. There is evidence that some athletes hide their symptoms deliberately or through ignorance to try and prevent being withdrawn from sporting activity. At a primary care level there are frequently reported deficiencies in knowledge around the identification and management of sports-related concussion. Similarly, at a secondary care level most sports-related concussions in Ireland are managed initially by senior house officers in emergency medicine. These doctors' experience in head injury management revolves around the management of traumatic brain injuries at the higher level, including skull fractures and traumatic brain haemorrhages. The approach to the concussed athlete frequently follows the approach of dealing with the worst case scenario. Such an approach is built upon undergraduate medical education where exposure to sports and exercise medicine is limited.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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I thank Senator Burke for raising this very important topic. He refers to the need for the Minister for Health to establish a task force with representatives from sports organisations, sports medicine bodies and primary and post primary schools in order to devise an appropriate education programme to improve awareness of sport-related concussion, its management and possible consequences among players, parents, coaches and medics. I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar.

The issue of concussion wherever it occurs needs to be taken very seriously as it is a mild traumatic brain injury. It is important to also state that it is not just during sport that the dangers of concussion arise. While we have seen some very public examples of concussion at major sporting events recently, I do not think it would be helpful to focus just on sporting occasions. There is always a risk of injury, however small, in all aspects of normal day-to-day activities whether in school, while commuting, at home or in the workplace which can result in concussion. The management of concussion includes evaluation, removal from active participation, medical assessment of symptoms, physical and cognitive rest until the acute symptoms resolve followed by a gradual return to participation. This is the case wherever it occurs, not just in sport.

I would like to acknowledge the work of a number of sporting organisations which have been very proactive in raising awareness of the dangers of concussion and in developing guidance on concussion for participants, coaches, officials and others. However, in saying that, I also call on the sporting organisations to ensure that they are visibly implementing their own guidelines and doing whatever they can to ensure the health and safety of all of those participating in sport.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things anybody can do for his or her health. While the benefits are well known, we must also ensure that we do not discourage anybody from participating in sport and physical activity, either directly or as a volunteer, because of fears about sustaining injury or concerns about how to respond when in a position of authority or responsibility.

As the Senator is aware from his participation in the recent Joint Committee on Health and Children hearings on the implications of concussion in sport, officials in the Departments of Health and Education and Skills recently started exploring the issue of concussion in school settings. The two Departments brought together a small group of relevant experts from key organisations to have an exploratory discussion about the implications of concussion and to identify current shortcomings in concussion awareness and responses. This is an opportunity to build on work already undertaken to develop a uniform approach to understanding and educating people about concussion and creating a better awareness about injury prevention, risk reduction as well as response and treatment for concussion. While this is a complex issue, initially officials in both Departments will continue to work together and with the group of experts from key organisations referred to earlier to progress the development and distribution of information materials to reiterate that the management of concussion includes evaluation, removal from active participation, medical assessment of symptoms, physical and cognitive rest until the acute symptoms resolve, followed by a gradual return to participation.

I believe that a singular process with the backing of all relevant stakeholders will be beneficial in encouraging everyone to understand the true importance and implications of concussion. In the deliberations on concussion, the need to explore further what more needs to be done to ensure that concussion is dealt with in a safe manner was recognised. This work will continue in partnership with the key stakeholders from the sporting organisations and the medical professions.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. I accept that Departments are working together on this matter but in fairness to those who made submissions to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, they pointed out that this is not just an issue for schools but also for all of the sporting organisations. We must make sure that there is one set of rules across the board for all sports settings and all sports, including GAA, rugby, soccer and so forth. That is why the witnesses suggested the setting up of a task force to include the people in the Department who are already working on this issue, as well as the other relevant stakeholders. It is about getting everybody on board.

The representatives of Irish rugby who attended the hearings pointed out that there are world-wide regulations in rugby for dealing with concussion. There is a need for all sporting organisations to work together with the relevant Departments which is why a task force is a good idea. I am not saying that such a task force should meet every week for 12 months. I am simply saying that it is important for everybody to work together to provide the relevant information and to ensure that everyone is applying the same set of rules as regards players being removed from the field of play, when they can resume playing and how this is effected. That is very important.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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The point is very well made by Senator Burke. This is an important issue which is not just relevant to sport but to schools and society generally. I will pass on the Senator's remarks to the Minister for Health.