Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Chairman, Deputy Farrell, and all the members of the committee on the work they did in producing this excellent report. I also commend my Fianna Fáil colleagues, Deputies Rabbitte and Lisa Chambers and Senator Clifford-Lee, who have also done a great deal of work on the report.

The recommendations in the report are hugely important and, to a certain extent, mirror some of the recommendations made last year by the Joint Committee on Education and Skills of which I am Chairman. It is good to see both committees investigating something that is so important and to see that independently, and with different sets of stakeholders coming before them, they came to the same conclusions.

As we know, there is a global problem with childhood obesity. This was apparent from the evidence given to both committees. The evidence very much highlighted the prevalence of obesity in Ireland and the potential for a future health epidemic. I would go so far as to say we already have a health epidemic. We know from research that one in four of three year olds are overweight. This is quite shocking. We could go so far as to say they are obese but it is not a word we like to use about children. Sometimes we must own a problem as it is. We also know from research carried out that obese children are five times more likely to become obese adults and have a much higher risk of health problems. It is not just about being fat. It is also about the huge possibility of developing osteoarthritis, obesity-related cancers, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Almost one third of all of children in Ireland are now overweight and the country ranks 58th out of 200 in the context of its proportion of overweight youths.

The most recent statistics compiled by the NCD risk factor collaboration demonstrate a tenfold increase in the rate of obesity among Irish boys between 1975 and 2016 and a ninefold increase among Irish girls. This is frightening. The problem absolutely has to be tackled at an early age. The issue can only be tackled with a change in attitude in society and a multisectoral approach for any strategy to have the desired effect in the long term. It cannot be just with one Department. There must be a cross-departmental approach to this, in addition to any other initiatives on and parental involvement in this issue from when children are at a young age.

In the context of the report the Joint Committee on Education and Skills brought forward, I am of the view that schools play an absolutely vital role in promoting healthy lifestyles, healthy eating and nutrition and in the provision of physical education to prevent obesity before it becomes established. This is where schools have PE halls and programmes but, as we know, there are schools in every constituency that do not have PE halls.

I do not have to go too far from where I live in Newbridge to the Curragh post-primary school that has no PE hall.

To deal with a problem which it is estimated costs this State €1 billion annually - that is the cost to the taxpayer of dealing with obesity and treating individuals who are overweight or obese - it is essential that ongoing and sustainable school programmes, teacher training and training for communities and parents are in place to reverse obesity trends.

I turn now to some of the recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, which tie in with and reinforce this work of the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. We have also referred to the introduction of an outright ban on vending machines that dispense unhealthy food and drinks in schools. That has to happen. There is no way unhealthy food and drinks should be available for sale in school canteens, shops or vending machines. I have spoken to representative from schools about this issue and many of them state it is a badly needed source of income for the schools.

We all accept capitation grants should be increased to enable them to support schools in their work. It is an appalling set of circumstances that leads to schools trying to raise income from vending machines giving fizzy drinks and the wrong type of food. Consideration should be given to exploring whether revenue generated from the sugar tax should be used for initiatives aiming to promote a healthy weight and active lifestyle for all. Break times should be targeted to improve children's activity. The provision of fixed playgrounds in primary schools is also essential. I again do not have to go too far in my constituency before finding the example of Ballyshannon national school. Extensions to deal with the increasing number of pupils in the school means it does not have appropriate playgrounds for children to play. Some schools are also telling their students they should not run during playtime because of difficulties with insurance.

That is not right. The schools building programme, as I mentioned, should prioritise physical education facilities to encourage physical education activity within our schools. Promoting safe walking and cycling has to be built into school programmes. Local authorities and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government should be ensuring funds are allocated for that. I have visited four national schools in my area in the past two weeks, namely, Lackagh, Twomilehouse, Scoil Na Naomh Uilig and Scoil Mhuire junior, Newbridge. I intend to visit Killina national school in Carbury next week. Children in those areas have major problems walking or cycling to school safely. That has to be a priority and funds have to be allocated to address that issue.

Looking to the future, lands and green spaces around schools should be protected for use by schools for sport and exercise, as well as for the construction of playgrounds, gyms and other exercise facilities. Returning to the curriculum, one of the recommendations our committee made was that home economics should be compulsory up to junior certificate, at least. Cookery skills and nutrition should be a part of the core curriculum in order that children can lead healthier lifestyles, not only themselves but their families and their own future families.

We all know parents learn from their children. Following that thought process, we need to have more parenting courses on nutrition and dietetics in order that parents can support our young people. Our committee, together with the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, is gravely concerned about the prevalence of childhood obesity in Ireland. The practical recommendations put forward by the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs today should be incorporated, together with the recommendations from the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, in the Government's plans for tackling childhood obesity.

Many of the measures recommended can be taken within schools and within communities, youth clubs and other youth organisations. I came across a statistic that Ireland is on course to be the heaviest nation in Europe by 2030, only 11 years away. Is that the measure for which we as a country want to be known? We have set targets for our education system to be one of the best in Europe, if not the world. That is laudable and noteworthy. Do we, however, want our children to be the most obese and, consequentially, unhealthiest by 2030? We absolutely do not. We need a cross-departmental approach to this crisis. I look forward to working with the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs to see how we can co-operate to make sure the recommendations we jointly make can be implemented at governmental level.

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