The European Union was sharply criticised yesterday for spending more money on animal subsidies than on protecting the public health of its citizens.
The director of the Dublin-based European Health Management Association, Mr Philip Berman, said that every EU cow receives EU subsidies that would allow it go to Club Med for two weeks but the EU public health budget would only pay for one polo mint for every EU citizen.
"This is a rather marked contrast," he said.
The EU public health budget, at €312 million for the six-year period from 2003 to 2008, was "extremely meagre" considering what had to be achieved, he added. Furthermore, the number of EU staff available to "supervise this whole area" was minimal.
"Given that health is no longer bounded by national boundaries and infections spread as rapidly as a plane flies, this is an important area," he said.
The EU public health budget should be adequate to co-ordinate the fight against the spread of diseases such as AIDS, SARS and TB, he said.
Asked if a lack of funding had resulted in public health being compromised, he said those working in the area were doing the best they could with available resources. "But if they had more money they could do better."