Professor Rose Anne Kenny:

I thank Deputy Shortall for her question. The bottom line is that it would be very valuable in the context of today's discussions if NPHET did more than recommend raising awareness with respect to vitamin D and if there was a much more secure recommendation along the lines we have been discussing with respect to vitamin D. Individuals in NPHET are aware of the value of vitamin D and the science behind it but we have heard nothing consistently solid from NPHET in terms of a public statement with respect to this. To give committee members an idea of how difficult it is to get sufficient vitamin D from foods, there was one Norwegian study where participants ate salmon for five days a week for a considerable period and despite this were unable to reach the sufficient levels we are discussing this morning, which is 50 nanomols per litre and above. It is very difficult to get it from food alone. We do not get it in Ireland from sunshine at this time of the year or, indeed, during most of spring and some of autumn. This message needs to get out there. I say this because I have heard scientists speaking on radio saying there is no need to supplement because people get sufficient from food and sunshine in Ireland. This is very incorrect and it needs to be said.

Some people ask whether we should be measuring vitamin D levels in everybody and then we would know. Given the high levels of insufficiency in Dublin, as we speak, at 70%, and 60% in the country generally, it is not practical in the midst of a pandemic.