More health news in brief.
Bertie office overhaul 'extravagant'
The cost of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's new office, at €230,000, was almost eight times the maximum grant available under the Disabled Person's Grant Scheme, according to Labour TD Ciarán Lynch.
While it was "not unreasonable" for a former Taoiseach to receive such a concession it did seem "somewhat extravagant" given funding shortfalls in the health services, he said.
Reporting of adverse reaction
An article in last week's Healthplusabout recommendations on the side effects of pharmaceuticals mistakenly attributed two quotes to Dr Orla O'Donovan, a lecturer in University College Cork and author of a book on the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland.
The comment: "One example is the provision of an online reporting system for the reporting of adverse reactions to medicines and quality defects to the IMB"; should have been attributed to an Irish Medicines Board (IMB) spokeswoman.
The comment: "As a part of this wide-ranging programme, many areas have been reviewed, including the issues of pharmacovigillance and ADR reporting as contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee's report"; should also have been attributed to the IMB spokeswoman.
Falls, a worry for the elderly
Falls are a particular worry for the elderly, given they can result in loss of independence and, worse, loss of life, according to Friends of the Elderly.
The group has designated this week as National Falls Awareness Week. It urges people to report uneven pavements and other risks outside the home. Log onto: www.friendsoftheelederly.ie