IRELAND: The first major health conference of Ireland's EU presidency - Promoting Heart Health - begins this morning in Cork.
Bringing together cardiovascular health experts from both member and accession states, the aim of the conference is to reach agreement on the most effective strategies for the promotion of cardiovascular health across the EU.
The conclusions of the conference will first be presented informally to EU health ministers.
They will then form part of the agenda of the EU Health Council meeting in June, under the chairmanship of the Minister for Health, Mr Martin.
Following opening addresses by Mr Martin and Mr David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, the conference will hear of the latest trends in the epidemiology of heart disease in Europe.
Delegates will spend the rest of today examining health promotion strategies for heart health in the population as well as in clinical practice.
A closed session is scheduled for tomorrow at which the finer points of a cardiovascular health policy for the EU will be agreed.
Asked what he hoped would emerge from the Promoting Heart Health conference, Mr Martin said he would like to see a consensus being agreed on the broad principles which would govern a reduction in heart disease.