Sudden death of Robert Pocock in Ireland

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the MEPs on the PETI (Petitions) Committee honour Robert by finally taking action to impose a Europe-wide ban on this outdated practice.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.