Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Health how he intends to support plans by the Danish authorities to make diabetes, as a model for chronic illness, a key priority during the Danish EU Presidency in the first half of 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18476/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the fact that Denmark has selected chronic disease, with a particular focus on diabetes, as a priority for their Presidency. In Ireland, it is estimated that approximately 5% of the population have diabetes. The Danish Presidency wishes to consider the prevention, detection and treatment of chronic diseases, which is already part of the generic framework in Ireland for dealing with this category of diseases; and so, the wishes of the Presidency would appear to be wholly consistent with my Department's policy direction in this area.