Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

I welcome this morning's report from the Irish universities' nutrition alliance. This week we had hearings by the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on cancer and heard calls for changes in our lifestyles, including the way we eat and drink. The IUNA report found that 23% of children aged two to four years, are now obese. This is a serious problem. While we have started this good work with the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's hearing this week, we should continue to put pressure on and keep the matter before this House. We must not lose the momentum that we built up on Tuesday. The hearings earlier this week show that this House is working well and in an open manner. The report containing these figures was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in conjunction with the Department of Health. We should keep this joined-up thinking between Departments to the fore as we continue our work.