Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and thank the panel of ladies who have joined us to give us their opinions. It is clear that early childhood is a critical time in assessing the beginning of the movement towards obesity. The figures and statistics provided are startling, particularly the fact that Ireland is the fifth worst of the 27 EU countries and that one in four of our schoolgoing children is either overweight or obese. This has rightly been described as an epidemic which is in urgent need of attention. Our attention must be given to the fact that currently there is no treatment. I commend the Temple Street fundraising committee for the work it is doing voluntarily to tackle this issue. Am I correct in my understanding that by the end of this year no funds will remain to deal with it? That is a concern.

No single initiative will solve this problem. We must look at a number of steps to tackle it such as physical activity, healthy eating, education of both educators and parents, marketing and the media. As legislators, we must embrace the issue and give it the priority it deserves. Very little, however, can be done without funding. The delegates have cited Denmark as a country of a similar size to ours. It is spending €10 million per annum in this area. If the Minister for Health and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs were to ring-fence €10 million a year to deal with the issue here, would that be adequate to tackle the problem we are facing? If we do not invest this money, could the problem end up costing us €1 billion?