Vol. 466 No. 5
46 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he has received reports of higher rates of illness and deaths in respect of Irish emigrants and their children in Britain than for Britain's native population; if so, if he will investigate the basis for these statistics; the figures, if any, that are available for Irish emigrants in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11918/96]
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the publication in the 1 June 1996 issue of the "British Medical Journal" of the results of a study of "patterns of mortality in second generation Irish living in England and Wales". The study was carried out by the British Office for National Statistics and the University of Survey over the period 1971 to 1989.
From a sample one per cent of the population of England and Wales 6,308 people (3.075 men and 3,233 women) at least one of whose parents was born in Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland) and who were aged 15 and over in 1971 were identified. Deaths and the causes of death of people in this group were analysed and compared with deaths and the causes of death of people from the sample as a whole during the 18 year period. The overall conclusion of the study was that "mortality of second generation Irish men and women was higher than that of all men and all women and for most major causes of death. While socio-economic factors remain important, cultural and lifestyle factors are likely to contribute to this adverse mortality."
I am concerned about these findings and have asked the Embassy in London about the possibility of further research being done which might pinpoint the causes of this higher mortality.
I am not aware of similar studies of patterns of mortality of people of Irish birth and-or decent in other countries and refer the Deputy to the Department of Health for further information on that subject.
