Michael Harty (Clare, Independent)
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136. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland was represented at the UN third high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases in New York on 27 September 2018; if so, the contribution that was made to the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45024/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has a strong commitment to health and HIV and AIDS in our international development cooperation policy and programme. Our engagement in health is focused on building strong health systems, supporting immunisation and prioritising human resources for health. We consider these as critical elements of a more robust health system better equipped to tackle the challenges posed by non-communicable diseases. In recent years non-communicable diseases have had an increasing impact on population health with disproportionately higher rates in developing countries. Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide and a series public health threat to developing countries. Adequate health systems and a strong public health approach are required to address these challenges.

I along with senior officials from my Department represented Ireland at the UN Third High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable diseases in New York. This event took place on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting in September 2018.

In preparation for the high level meeting Ireland participated in UN and EU negotiations on non-communicable diseases. In this process we contributed to the political declaration which emerged from the High Level Meeting as well as an EU position on non-communicable diseases which was delivered at the High Level Meeting.

In these negotiations and through the EU statement Ireland pushed for a strong emphasis on strengthening health systems, ensuring adequately trained human resources and a strong public health approach to meet the increasing challenges of non-communicable diseases.