Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)

We want to bring a younger generation with us, who will look up to an individual who they can trust in terms of making lifestyle changes. The Minister of State is correct that this is all about lifestyle, what we are ingesting and how little this nation is moving. In order to make a change, politicians are not necessarily the best placed people to encourage others. We could empower a national czar who could hold the Government to account and give it a checklist. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste said that, by 2016, they want Ireland to be the best small country in the world in which to do business, to grow old and to raise a family. By 2016, we also should be the best country at tackling these lifestyle diseases because we are storing up a huge problem with the diabetes issue, not to mention asthma, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Voluntary organisations are inclined to encourage people towards a healthier lifestyle and when they are printing literature or taking our advertisements they should be exempt from VAT. There is no point in someone taking out a half-page advertisement in a national newspaper to encourage people to eat properly when the Government is the recipient of the VAT. The voluntary organisation is doing the State a favour. Someone trusted by the people should have oversight and the political speech should be taken out of it so that everyone is brought under one umbrella to tackle the largest public health issue facing this generation.

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