We were saddened to
learn of the sudden death of Robert Pocock in Ireland. Robert had
been campaigning against water fluoridation for over 20 years and was
instrumental in bringing attention to the scandal of rising dental
fluorosis rates suffered by Irish children.
Robert supported HAF
over the years, attending our meeting with MPs in parliament in 2009,
and joining with us and international campaigners at a meeting on the
scientific evidence on water fluoridation in Brussels in 2010. More
recently, he had been pursuing a petition through the Petitions
Committee of the European Union in order to compel the EU to adhere
to its own regulations and ban water fluoridation. He was deeply
knowledgeable on the issue and showed great determination in pursuing
it through the EU. Robert managed to navigate the endlessly
bureaucratic and complex processes in order to challenge, inform and
persuade MEPs to back this very important cause.
Robert’s
determination to see water fluoridation banned in Ireland stemmed
from his concern for Irish children, the environment and the
injustice of the state imposing mandatory water fluoridation despite
having no legal mandate to do so. We met with Robert last September
at a meeting in London with Keith Taylor MEP to ensure that his
petition received support and backing from MEPs. We very much hope
that the MEPs on the PETI (Petitions) Committee honour Robert by
finally taking action to impose a Europe-wide ban on this outdated
practice.
Robert was a
committed environmental campaigner and worked tirelessly to highlight
the problems caused by fluoridation and to bring about its end in
Ireland. He will sadly be missed.
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