Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator van Turnhout's welcome of the announcement by the director of Diageo, David Smith, that he will be stepping down from the board of the Stop Out-of-Control Drinking campaign. I mirror the Senator's words. The drinks industry has no place in effecting attitudes in schools or public attitudes on alcohol. This applies overall not just to the Stop Out-of-Control Drinking campaign but any future work we do around this area. We will be working on this area shortly.

I mirror the previous comments of Senators in respect of the welcome announcement by the Minister of Education and Skills this morning that 2.5 hours will be given to children with Down's syndrome. Again, I struggle with the thought of children with Down's syndrome being assessed or doing examinations to be accepted, because a child either has it or not. I know there are different levels of it. I look forward to 2.5 hours becoming four or 4.5 hours, which are the sort of hours we should be looking at. We have achieved the minimum at the moment.

I would like us to think about having a debate on vending machines in schools. Most Senators might have read an article by Kevin Dundon, the celebrity chef, in last week's edition of the Sunday Independent. I am talking about secondary schools, the education of our young people and their health and well-being, both mental and physical. We are talking about obesity and the future health of our youth. The HSE said it would welcome a ban on junk food in schools. However, a spokesperson for the HSE said it was a matter for the Department of Education and Skills. In the article, Mr. Dundon said:

Every school is almost a culprit of vending machines but I think there are other ways that schools can acquire revenue. It's not only causing overweight and obesity problems but it's giving hardship to teachers because sugar makes children hyper, more aggressive, lessens their ability to concentrate and makes them more disruptive in class.

When I was thinking about speaking this morning, I smiled to myself and thought that Senators should see how they would get on if they tried attending a committee meeting for three hours and then debating here for four hours after having a bottle of Coca-Cola and a couple of sugary bars. They would have a headache, their blood sugar levels would be on the ground and they would be cross and useless because their brains would be run down. That is what we are doing to our people. This is about education. It is not about a lot of money because it is far easier to make a child a healthier lunch than to give them money to go to the local delicatessen or, worse, stick it in a vending machine. We need the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House to talk about this because it is small beer and a no-brainer. We are allowing our young people to get into terrible habits early on.