Bernard Allen
Ceist:197 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health whether he has any plans in the context of the EC Presidency to promote new community initiatives in the health sphere; and the implications, if any, such plans would have for Ireland.
Written Answers. - Community Health Initiatives.
A number of specific health items were still current at the conclusion of the French Presidency mostly in the anti-smoking field. The most notable of these items is the draft directive on the advertising of tobacco products. This draft directive, which is based to a large extent on existing Irish legislation in the anti-smoking field, seeks to harmonise the manner in which tobacco products are advertised in member states. I consider it to be of vital importance that considerable progress be made on this important initiative during the Irish Presidency.
I will be tabling a Presidency paper on youth and emerging health problems covering such areas as tobacco consumption, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and AIDS. The special problems of our young people and their vulnerability in these areas is of primary concern to me as Minister for Health and I will be asking my colleagues in the other member states to consider ways of improving awareness among our young people and of promoting positive life styles at the same time as building the necessary safeguards into our national and EC legislation.
In so far as AIDS is concerned I will be taking initiatives in the areas of early intervention and the development of costing methodologies which if successful will have far reaching consequences in the planning and delivery of services to HIV infected persons.
In the field of drug abuse the emphasis during the Irish Presidency will be on the development of epidemiological methodologies and on the educational aspects of prevention and treatment. The Deputy might also like to know that I, in conjunction with my Government colleagues — the Ministers for Justice, Finance and Foreign Affairs — will be focusing on the broader aspects of this problem relating in particular to international trafficking of drugs.