Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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At the end of December a programme of Presidency events in the area of public health was produced. This was circulated to a range of agencies and offices, including the health boards. I conducted media briefings during January to set out the objectives of our Presidency, the events we are holding and what developments citizens can expect to see in the public health area during our term in the Presidency.

The full programme of events, together with background information on each one as well information on the European Health legislative programme, can be viewed on the Department of Health and Children website www.doh.ie and on the Irish Presidency website www.eu2004.ie. There are also a number of other web pages dedicated to individual events associated with the calendar of events in the health area, the details of which are contained in the programme calendar.

The programme contains numerous separate events, which have a different focus on aspects of EU legislation and action in the field of public health. These will range from food safety, heart health, tobacco control, to the health applications of information and communications technology — e-health. The planning for such events specifically provides for the facilitation of significant media coverage with a view to maximising public awareness and knowledge of the issues and developments involved.