John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 154: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends to establish an interdepartmental task force on childhood asthma, in view of the fact that one in five Irish children has the disorder and that Ireland has the fourth highest rate of asthma in the world. [9532/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The causation and treatment of asthma are very complex issues involving a combination of environmental, physiological, psychological, metabolic and other factors. It is generally accepted, not only in Ireland but in the western world in general, that there is a requirement for further research on the many causes of asthma, in particular those relating to genetics and the environment.

There are no plans at present to establish a task force on childhood asthma but I will keep the matter under review.