Doctors leaving Ireland and public health
Senator Noone supports concerns about doctors emigrating and Ireland’s failure to retain consultants, while also backing stronger action on physical activity, obesity and alcohol pricing, marketing and sponsorship.
I wholeheartedly support Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell and Colm Burke on their comments on doctors leaving the country. A girl I know is leaving today, and one of her mentors, for want of a better word, in the health service has told her not to come back for ten years because there is no point. It is my generation perhaps who is most affected by this. I personally know many people who are in Australia, Canada or America who do not intend to come back for a long time. Doctors always left the country but now they are leaving with the intention most likely of not coming back because they do not expect things will improve. It is a huge issue and one we need to debate in the House as soon as possible.
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Talk to the Minister, Deputy James Reilly.
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I would also like to support and commend Senator Eamonn Coghlan on his Point for Life initiative. The situation has not changed. I raised the issue of a ban on running in schools and that is when I got involved in speaking on this. It is a huge issue and a case of monkey see, monkey do. Leaders will have to get involved in this. It will not simply happen by accident that the problems related to diet and obesity will go away. I would make a novel request. Many of the leading experts in health say that the best thing one can do for one's health is to walk 10,000 steps a day. If one does that and does not go mad in the eating department, one will be healthy and maintain a healthy weight. We all - Ministers, Senators, Deputies, councillors and everybody else - should get on board and get more active in general, and children will naturally follow suit.
If the Cathaoirleach will briefly indulge me, I want to support Senators Naughton and Mullins on the issue of alcohol abuse and the report that was published. This is nothing new to me. I have been raising this issue, much to everyone's-----
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Yes I am supporting that call but we need something real. We need the Ministers to come into the House to discuss the implementation of a plan to address the issues of alcohol pricing, marketing and sponsorship in the very near future. This is a serious issue and we need to do more than discuss it. We need to implement a plan to address it.