"More sensible use of antibiotics is needed among healthcare practitioners and among the general public". This was stated by Marian Harkin MEP when she attended the launch of the European Antibiotics Awareness Day in the European Parliament.

"Ireland needs to respond to the threat from over use of antibiotics. There is a higher level of resistance to antibiotics in Ireland than in most other European countries. We are using increasing amounts of antibiotics each year in Ireland, whereas in other European countries such as France and Belgium there is a decrease in antibiotic use, e.g. in France between 2002 - 2007 there was a 23% decrease in out patient antibiotic use with a decreased usage of 33% in children aged 0- 5. This is real progress and apart from anything else saved €800 million in medical costs.

We must take immediate steps to reduce and indeed eliminate inappropriate antibiotic use in Ireland. Antibiotics are in many instances "life savers" and their use underpins very many medical procedures such as surgery, chemotherapy etc. We have serious work to do in Ireland in this regard and the HSE needs to take urgent action" Marian Harkin concluded.