Six local TD's in the Shannonside region have joined an Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group to back urgent calls for a new national cardiovascular disease health policy. Ten thousand lives a year are claimed by CVD which accounts for almost 30% of all mortality in Ireland. Many local TD's in the region have come out and showed their support for a new national cardiovascular disease health policy. In Roscommon-Galway, Deputies Martin Daly and Claire Kerrane are backing the calls whilst Sligo-Leitrim TD's Eamon Scanlon and Martin Kenny have also joined the group. In Longford-Westmeath, Enterprise Minister Peter Burke and Fine Gael TD Micheal Carrigy have also agreed to be advocates.
17,000 people across the Shannonside region live with the disease, which causes a wide range of heart conditions. The new group, set up by the Irish Heart Foundation, aims to build consensus across the political spectrum to support patients. Chris Macey, who is the Director of Advocacy with the charity says Ireland has the lowest number of cardiologists per capita in the EU. The Oireachtas Heart and Stroke group are encouraging other TD's and Senators to join the group to back their call.
