A Kerry senator has called on the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) to seek the introduction of mandatory heart screening for young athletes aged 14 to 18.
It's estimated that 100 young people die each year from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), a condition where an underlying heart issue causes sudden cardiac arrest in healthy-looking young people.
Senator Mike Kennelly has said that early detection using ECG testing could identify conditions in young people before they become fatal.
He has credited the work of the Dillon Quirke Foundation who have screened more than 10,000 young people, identifying 243 who required further investigation.
However, the Fine Gael senator says that the work cannot be left to the foundation alone, and that more proactive steps need to be taken.
Listowel councillor Aoife Kennelly agreed with the call for mandatory screening, stating that monitoring young athletes should be a right, not a privilege, and that early detection can be the difference between life and death.
