11. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the Government strategy to raise awareness of haemochromatosis. [17294/26]

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I am somebody who has haemochromatosis. I was very lucky about ten years ago that I had the diagnosis. I was simply feeling fatigued. It was a general checkup and I was lucky that my GP decided to check my iron levels. It is a perfectly manageable disease, as Deputy Daly has pointed out, and I am very fortunate that I can have a venesection in my local GP's surgery. The challenge, particularly among men, who perhaps do not go to the doctors as regularly as they should, is that there is not the level of awareness. When somebody leaves this condition undiagnosed and as the condition develops, the risk particularly of arthritis or other diseases grows. I ask that there would be a national awareness-raising campaign because of the disease's prevalence in Ireland. As has been said, given that potentially one in 83 adults carries the genes for haemochromatosis, the more awareness about this, the better.

Sentiment score: 0.19

14. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the strategies in place to tackle the high levels of osteoporosis and fracture falls in Ireland. [17293/26]

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The Minister has outlined what a serious issue it is, and the numbers impacted in this country by osteoporosis. We know there are approximately 32,000 fragility fractures every year and that is estimated to cost our health service approximately €464 million every year. That is not to forget the impact it has on the individual patients. Given our ageing population, if we do not address some of this, those costs could rise to close to €1 billion within a decade. I welcome the commitments toward healthier activity, particularly among older people. The Minister will be aware that there is a commitment in the programme for Government towards tax relief for gym membership to encourage people to build resistance and cope with falls. I hope when the issue of tax relief for gym membership is being considered that the Minister will support it.

Sentiment score: 0.33