John Gormley
Question:952 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has promoted, or intends to promote, clinical ecology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20581/03]
Written Answers. - Environmental Health.
The 2001 national health strategy, Quality and Fairness – A Health System for You, acknowledges that the broad determinants of health including environmental factors must be taken into account in order to develop an effective health system. The first goal of the strategy is better health for everyone, and this part of the strategy includes the preparation of a national environmental health action plan, NEHAP, which is an inter-sectoral action plan to deal with environmental health issues in Ireland. The draft NEHAP, A Shared Vision for Quality of Life, is currently being finalised. The key objectives of the draft NEHAP are to promote the influence of environmental health factors on quality of life in Ireland and to protect and enhance the environment and living conditions in order to promote human health, to provide a strategic framework for the development and implementation of a multi-sectoral and ongoing partnership at local, regional and national levels in the field of environmental health, and to ensure policy and executive cohesion in implementing, monitoring and reviewing all agreed national and local action plans.
In June 2003 the European Commission launched a European environment and health strategy. The strategy aims to achieve a better understanding of the environmental threats to human health, to identify the disease burden caused by environmental factors in the EU, and to plan policy responses to the challenges that emerge. The main thrust of the strategy is to fill the knowledge gap in the link between environment and health in a phased basis. The strategy will have a particular focus on children as a unique section of the population with a particular susceptibility to environmental agents. The first cycle, 2004-10, will focus on developing a better understanding of the link between environmental factors and the following health issues – childhood respiratory diseases, asthma and allergies, neurodevelopment disorders, childhood cancer, and endocrine-disrupting effects.
To assist in the implementation of the strategy the commission established a consultative group on environment and health and is currently establishing several technical working groups, each with a specific role and mandate. My Department has nominated representatives to the consultative group and to relevant technical working groups with a health focus. The work of the consultative group and technical working groups will result in an action plan for 2004-10 which the Commission will adopt in the spring of 2004. The action plan will be presented prior to the WHO ministerial conference on environment and health in Budapest in June 2004 and will be the Commission's contribution to the conference.
The theme of the Budapest Conference is the future of our children. It recognises that children and future generations lie at the heart of sustainable development and that policies that protect them protect everyone. One of the major policy outcomes envisaged from the Budapest conference is a children's environment and health action plan for Europe, CEHAPE, which will incorporate those recommendations for follow-up action relevant to this age group. Addressing children's needs will also address the needs of other population sub-groups and will have a long-term benefit on future generations. Evidence to date indicates that there is a link between poor health and environmental problems. It is estimated that approximately 25% to 33% of the burden of disease in industrialised countries can be attributed to environmental factors, the bulk of which affects children and vulnerable groups.