Profile

Minister For Health (January 2000 - September 2004)

While Micheál’s time as Minister for Health will be remembered for the introduction of the first national smoking ban and the health benefits which people have enjoyed since, it was just one of a number of achievements in the office.

• Cardiovascular services across the country were transformed. More than €57m was spent implementing a strategy which saw a 200% increase in certain cardiology procedures and the 24% reduction in the waiting list for cardiology procedures. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes were extended to 40 public hospitals.

• Delivery of the First National Cancer Strategy which saw a 15 fold increase in expenditure, an additional 87 Consultants were appointed in key areas of cancer services, including medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiotherapy, histopathology, radiology and haematology. 245 clinical nurse specialists were appointed in cancer services.

• In the Mater, the National Heart and Lung Transplant services were established.

• Other major developments included the go ahead for the Cardiac Renal Unit at Cork University Hospital, which has been recently opened.

• The Smoking Ban, acknowledged nationally and internationally as a world’s first, has led to a decrease of 11% in hospital admissions for heart attacks while the cancer risk for those working in the hospitality industry is reduced by 15%