Ageism causing deaths, claims professor

An expert in geriatric medicine at Trinity College Dublin has claimed age discrimination is causing deaths among the elderly population in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch of an Equality Authority campaign to raise awareness of the issue, Professor Desmond O'Neill said ageism was widespread in Ireland, but was often dismissed as a trivial problem.

He said a prime example of age discrimination was the age limits imposed for free breast cancer screening services.

Professor O'Neill said breast cancer was six times more common after the age of 65 and people over that age were six times more likely to die from the illness, but free breast cancer screening was only available to women under 65 years old.