Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending and for their presentations. I was struck by Mr. McPartlan comment to the effect that we must follow evidence rather than emotion. I will put forward some evidence and ask him for his opinion on it. The total lifetime cost of childhood obesity to the State is estimated at €4.6 billion. There is a further estimated annual healthcare cost of €1.7 million. Another alarming figure from safefood research is that an estimated 55,056 children currently living in the State are overweight. My colleagues and I consider this figure to be very alarming. The World Obesity Federation predicts that by 2025 some 241,000 schoolchildren in Ireland will be overweight or obese. That is not emotion, it is evidence. Does Mr. McPartlan think the consequences for the future health of children in Ireland look quite dire?