The Irish Sudden Infant Death Association: what type of interest group is it, and how did it contribute to the establishment of the National Sudden Infant Death Register?
On November 27th 1975, Eimear Berry discovered her fourteen-week old son Brendan dead in his cot, the death was silent, sudden unpredictable and of unknown cause – classic Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In search of answers, Berry saw a TV documentary about SIDS which referenced the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) in England, whom Berry contacted in the hope of establishing a similar group in Ireland. On February 3rd 1977 the Irish Sudden Infant Death Association (ISIDA) was formally established, cited its’ general aims were to increase public awareness of the problem of SIDS and bring pressure to bear on the appropriate authorities to supply the necessary funds and facilities for further research into SIDS in Ireland. On July 16th 1987, the then Minister for Health, Dr Rory O'Hanlon TD, Fianna Fáil (FF), announced the formal establishment of the National Sudden Infant Death Register (NSIDR).
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