Plans for a major new strategy to tackle heart disease are to be outlined by the Government in the coming weeks.
It is expected the new national cardiovascular health strategy will build on the work of the existing heart disease prevention campaign, which was launched by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 1999.
Heart or cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Ireland and across Europe, accounting for half of all deaths.
It is understood the Government announcement, which will be made in late August or early September, will provide details of the composition of a strategy group to compile the new policy.
The group is then expected to take around six months to conduct its work.
Minister of State at the Department of Health Pat "the Cope" Gallagher said the group would examine lessons learned from the past and make recommendations for improvements.
"I'll be looking forward to the co-operation of the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) to work with us as they have in the past."
The Minister was speaking after attending the Irish launch in Dublin yesterday of a new EU charter to tackle heart disease.
A total of 25 Irish organisations, led by the Department of Health and the IHF, along with five Irish MEPs, have pledged their support for the European Heart Health Charter.
This is an EU-wide document on the prevention of CVD. It states that everyone has the right to reach the age of 65 without avoidable CVD, and sets out minimum requirements for a "heart healthy" environment.
It also proposes practical tools to fight the disease and to increase awareness, but recognises that lifestyle is not a matter for the individual alone.
As a result, it says policy-makers have a role to play in providing support.
Among the recommendations which it makes for "heart health" are:
regular physical activity - at least 30 minutes, five times a week;
healthy eating, with lots of fruit, vegetables and fibre foods, and less fatty foods and salt;
a healthy weight and body-mass index of less than 25 kg/m.
It says individuals should also not use tobacco, should manage their stress, and engage in a regular check-up with a family doctor if they have a family history of premature cardiovascular disease.
Speaking at yesterday's launch, Prof Eoin O'Brien, president of the IHF, said the total annual cost of CVD to the Irish economy was estimated at €866 million, including healthcare costs, lost productivity and informal care.
He said across Europe, this figure was €169 billion - or the equivalent of €347 for every citizen.
"Despite declining death rates from CVD, there are, paradoxically, increasing numbers of men and women surviving heart disease and stroke due to improved treatment and increased longevity, but at the expense of often having considerable disability."
He said it had also been shown that a "rule of halves" applied across Europe when it came to high blood pressure or hypertension.
For example, half of people aged over 50 have high blood pressure, but only half of these are aware of it.
Dr David Higginson, president of the Irish Cardiac Society, paid tribute to the lead taken by Mr Gallagher's department in introducing the smoking ban here.
However, he said all the risk factors for CVD needed to be addressed, while others also stressed the need for initiatives to tackle issues such as food poverty and the impact of the improper marketing of foods to children.
Yesterday's launch of the charter forms part of the first phase a new three-year European Heart Network project co-funded by the EU Commission and supported by the World Health Organisation.