Ms Amanda McCloat:

Deputy Frank Feighan has correctly identified that obesity is on the increase on the island of Ireland. Currently, 70% of men and 52% of women are overweight or obese on the island which is a significant cost, estimated to be in the region of €1.64 billion annually. As the Deputy correctly outlined, home economics as a subject on the curriculum is mandatory for all students up to key stage 3 in Northern Ireland. This is not unusual on the international front given that in countries such as Iceland, Finland and Japan home economics is also compulsory up to a similar age group. Unfortunately, in Ireland, home economics is still an optional subject and yet institutions such as the World Health Organization would show that mandatory food education and nutrition education is extremely important for young people as a key health promotion strategy. In Ireland, home economics is on the curriculum. It is an established subject and, therefore, making it mandatory would help alleviate some of the issues around the lack of culinary skills and the lack of nutrition education which we are witnessing in our young people.