Results 501-520 of 11,236 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: My apologies. I referred to “social welfare” a few times this morning when it should be “social protection”. That is one of the reasons the Department of Social Protection rolled out the hot school meals programme. Remember, when we started that programme, we initially focused on DEIS schools in particular. There has been that co-ordination from the health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: I would like to come in on that point. Between 1990 and 2008, the levels of overweight and obesity in Irish children doubled across all age groups. They actually doubled in that period. The one good thing that has happened since 2008 is that the level has been at least static, although we have not made progress in reducing it. It is important that all the work the various Departments have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: It needs to be worked on especially where people are having to travel to Dublin for care. Obviously it is something to look at. We also need to make sure that we have the expertise available to provide the level of care that people require and make sure it is managed in a proper manner. That is one of things we need to do in each of the health areas, that is, to have that special expertise...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: It is something the Department will have to look at in that regard but also working within the HSE because it is the HSE that will be providing the healthcare. It is also cutting across other Departments as well, for example, education and social protection. It is not just health that is involved here. It would have to be a joint approach by a number of different Departments and also by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: The nutritional standards for the hot school meals programme were developed by a working group led by the health and well-being programme in my Department in consultation with Safefood and the healthy eating and active living programme in the Health Service Executive. We have all been involved with the nutrition content. The hot school meals programme is funded by the Department of Social...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: From his involvement with local authorities, Senator Conway may very well find there is resistance from ratepayers in some local authority areas to these markets being opened up. This is something that local authorities have to deal with. We have no difficulty in engaging with local authorities and encouraging them to do more work in this area. The response we are likely to get from local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: We have no difficulty in corresponding with local authorities on this issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: My understanding is that it does not come under the remit of the Department of Health.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: It is obviously something we need to look at if there is concern. There are contracts between the relevant Department and the people supplying the accommodation. I presume that Department set out guidelines. On the one hand there is the accommodation-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: We could engage with the Department on this. I will have look at it to see whether we would correspond with the Department to see what are the guidelines it has issued to the contractors that provide the accommodation with regard to the food being provided. I am disappointed to hear this is occurring. Now that it has been raised, I will certainly engage with the Department involved in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: It would also be helpful if the Senator could give us specific examples where there is clear evidence of substandard-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: If the information is passed on to me, we will certainly pick it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: It would be very difficult for any action to be taken unless we have specifics.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: Therefore, if there are specific areas-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: -----I ask Senator Conway to forward them to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: In my opening statement, I referred to the fact that the amount of time people have for eating is short and as a result, people go for the easiest option, which may not necessarily be the best option. This can be because of time pressure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: Dr. Walsh may wish to deal with the issue of the contributing factors to obesity. It is not just a matter of fast food because there are other factors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: In the European Regional Obesity Report 2022, the WHO recommended a range of population interventions that focus broadly on diet, physical activity and the food environment, many of which Ireland is currently following. One of these recommendations is to adopt a childhood obesity surveillance initiative, COSI, model of surveillance. The results of the most recent round of COSI, which is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: With regard to the food reformulation programme, the aim is to reduce calories and sugar by 20%, and saturated fat and salt by 10% in priority food categories. The food industry, including food manufacturers and food services, is being asked to use less of these - in other words, a 20% reduction in sugar and a 10% reduction in salt in priority food categories. That is that one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Childhood Obesity: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Colm Burke: The hot school meals programme was introduced by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, in 2019. The contract for delivery of the scheme is between the school and its supplier. The Department of Social Protection has implemented an inspection programme of organisations participating in the scheme. Under the existing audit process, some 400 schools are inspected annually by the Department and the...