Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan:

Regarding the research we have done as part of the START campaign, which I will pass on to Mr. Treacy with pleasure, the business of inactivity as distinct from sport and whatever, is an area we all have to emphasise. There are a number of elements to it. Play dates as distinct from informal play has very much become a feature. The matter of making time for screen time is a huge issue. I attended one of the focus groups and the word "television" did not come into it, it is now all about screens. Television is now amusing and the idea that people or a family would watch it together does not exist in many homes. We must remember that for nine months of the year - we are being fooled today with the good weather - going outside is not something with which many people are as comfortable as they might be.

We are fooled today, but we have to remember that for nine months of the year, many people are not as comfortable as they might be with going outside. We intend to return to the Bring Back Play strategy we pursued as part of a previous campaign. The type of play we will be advocating may or may not be more organised. It might involve sport or whatever. We will focus on activities like children using their scooters to get to school, while accompanied by an adult, as they develop the basic skills about which Ms May spoke. We can do it, but many of the cultural norms that have developed are against us.