Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-14
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

It is wrong to say that because when you look at our overall outcomes as a country, there is huge funding that has gone into health and I am sure the Deputy will acknowledge that. She has said it is not an issue of resources and significant funding has gone in, but in terms of key health outcomes over the past decade, there have been significant achievements. Ireland is now among a small group of only seven European Union countries where life expectancy is above 82 years. Our mortality rate fell by 11% over the decade 2014 to 2023. The mortality rate for all circulatory system diseases fell by 20% in that period, with heart disease and stroke falling by 28% and 37%, respectively. The Deputy had a cut at the stroke services and every individual case is terrible and traumatic when it happens, but surely she must acknowledge the progress that has been made on stroke and interventions over the last number of years with the new stroke centres and so on. It has been quite dramatic and transformative in the treatment of stroke in the country. The mortality rate for all cancers dropped by 15% in that period, with cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lung and breast cancer dropping by 21% and 22%, respectively. The mortality rate for all respiratory system diseases has fallen by 15%, with chronic lower respiratory diseases and pneumonia falling by 9% and 41%, respectively.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-14