Vol. 526 No. 2
80 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the research his Department will carry out into the causes and treatment of asthma; and if the health promotion unit of his Department has a view on the role of household central heating as a contributory factor to asthma in children. [26154/00]
Asthma is caused by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. A number of Irish institutions have contributed to international studies carried out in this area, such as the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, ISAAC. Worldwide research into the causes of asthma is ongoing and I am kept informed by officials from my Department of any new major research findings in this field.
Any Irish research proposal concerning asthma would be a matter for the Health Research Board which is the statutory body with responsibility for health research in Ireland. The board considers all applications for funding and allocates funding to projects on a competitive basis, subject to the board's peer review process whereby experts in the field assess the merits of each individual project.
A comprehensive range of the most modern therapies for the treatment of asthma is available under the general medical services and drug payment schemes.
The health promotion unit of my Department has no research in relation to household central heating as a contributory factor to asthma in children.
