Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is good that the Deputy raises these questions. I have described the strategies that are ongoing and detailed how an organisation is being funded to help support some of the implementation of that.

The Deputy raises the issue of obesity, which is a key concern, even more so today than when the Deputy and I were growing up in different places at different times. On the better outcomes brighter futures policy, it is a significant part of that strategy to tackle the issues of childhood obesity, where work is ongoing on the top shelf of the food pyramid action plan. There are partner supports for youth organisations to ensure that through a mix of legislative policy and public awareness the environments will be put in place in order to tackle those issues. We are publishing results of lifestyle surveys, which include data on healthy eating policies. We support children to make healthier choices through education and we address food poverty, which is also a very big concern of mine, particularly in the context of DEIS schools and children who are hungry so that we can also look at the obesity issue in that context.

See this speech in context