Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of preventative medicine and what we are doing to ensure the nation has good health. Professor Ivan Perry of UCC, in conjunction with safefood launched a report yesterday that gave the cost of obesity in Ireland. We have not discussed obesity in detail but this report is very important. It has found that ¤1.64 billion is being spent on obesity-related illness per year across the island, with ¤1.13 billion spent in the State. We are talking about health but money talks. The Minister for Health should come into the Chamber to discuss this report in detail because there is such invaluable information in the report.

We have been talking about obesity for years but when this is broken down, we see what we can do with preventative measures. Obesity in children has very much become an issue and we must take this seriously. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government must ensure local government plays a part with sports partnerships and the provision of adult exercise facilities and children's playgrounds. I would like to see further funding going into local communities for exercise and exercise programmes. There must be community-led sports partnerships to take communities by the hand. This will not cost money; it will save the State ¤1.3 billion per year. I am asking the Leader, therefore, to ask the Ministers for Health and the Environment, Community and Local Government to come in to discuss this report.