Dr. Tony Holohan:

There are other general health benefits attaching to the consumption of folic acid in terms of cardiovascular risk and so on but I am not offering a professional opinion in that regard. We have been working on this issue with the Food Safety Authority, including consideration of the question of mandatory fortification of flour and so on. I have not brought that work with me but I could correspond directly with the committee in that regard if that would be of assistance. Much work has been done over the years and fortification has been formally considered on several occasions but we have never recommended it.