Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. This is a crucial issue for society. The Minister may think he is presenting some good news on it but the facts show that this a problem that is getting out of control. I am not sure how seriously he is taking it. I have lost about two and half stone since I came into the Seanad. It is a difficult process. There are certain simple things that could be adopted to help people along the way, because it is very difficult if one is eating too much and not exercising enough. That is the bottom line. First and foremost, diet drinks need to be looked at. Somebody who slugs a diet drink all day is usually very fat or obese. More and more research about the sweetener aspartame indicates that it does not help people on diets but encourages them to eat sugary products as well as drink diet drinks, thereby causing obesity. One does not see slim people slugging diet drinks but overweight people slugging them. There is anecdotal evidence which is backed up by research, if the Minister wishes to look at it.

Diet drinks need to be regulated and Fianna Fáil has proposed a sugar tax on sugary drinks. The issue of sugar is crucial and we are lucky in this country that we do not have the high fructose corn sugar they use in America, which is directly related to the massive obesity epidemic there. When it first came onto the market in the 1970s in America, obesity shot up but we are very lucky we do not have it in this country because of EU quotas. If we had it, we would have a much bigger problem.

Another issue is whole foods. In my experience, one can eat as much wholegrain rice and wholewheat bread as one likes as one will get full very quickly. However, if one eats white rice or white bread, one does not get full. This is an educational issue which needs to be addressed. There is also an issue with consumer product labelling as it is absolutely impossible to know what type of bread one is buying in this country. One has to check the label because wholegrain bread is simply white bread with a few grains in it. If it is wholewheat, it is possibly good and has a higher fibre and higher protein content, which makes one fuller. We have to get this information to the consumer because when consumers buy brown bread, which they think is healthy, most of the time they are buying coloured white bread and such products are contributing to the obesity epidemic. We should encourage people to eat wholegrain rice because it is impossible to eat a lot of it. It is full of the nutrients which are taken out when it is processed. These suggestions might sound completely radical but they are based on my experience. It is not possible to eat too much of those foods whereas it is easy to eat too many sugary foods and processed carbohydrates. We should encourage people to eat whole products, such as rice, pasta and bread, which are labelled as to whether they are brown pasta or wholewheat pasta or brown coloured bread or wholewheat bread. They are the simple tips I would give to people. lf they can stop drinking diet and sugary drinks, they should do so as they are not good for them. We should drink water or cups of tea.

The Minister mentioned some of relevant issues, such as active travel, cycle lanes and safe walking options, which need to be put in place. My kids cannot walk to school due to bad planning by Meath County Council over many years. As I said before, I am grateful that I do not have that on my conscience as many people do. The state of planning in many parts of this country is terrible but I have never been a member of that council. If my children could walk to school, they would do so, even though it is probably a mile and a half. They would cycle, and I will see if the six year old will cycle next week because he is just learning to cycle. In the absence of cycle lanes, however, it will be dangerous. It would be far preferable, as they get older, if they could cycle or walk to school.

Poverty is a huge issue as well. People go for what they perceive to be the cheapest and most convenient foods but they are often dangerously full of sugar and processed carbohydrates. We talk about putting resources into addressing this problem but if we gave consumers information, it would help because the good products can be much cheaper. Water is a lot cheaper than diet drinks, no matter what charges the Government proposes putting on them. Poverty is a problem all over the world and we need to educate people as to how to cook food. Some people think they cannot cook but they certainly can if they are shown how to.

I am sure I was clinically obese a few years ago. I was not like the typical image of an American with the belly hanging out. People are in denial about this because they can get clothes in the shops that fit them, but we must not be in denial. I still have a bit to go and it will be hard. We must stop telling people they look great when they do not. It is very important for children to have free play and physical activities at school and at home. Children have no business watching television during the summer if there is good weather. It is a matter for parents but my children have no business watching television during the day. It can be hard at times but I send them out the door, into the garden or to cycle around.

One of my children was diagnosed recently as being grossly underweight, requiring a procedure in a hospital. However, we were told there was a waiting list of five months. It was suggested to my wife that she ring her local Deputy as that might result in getting it done more quickly. The Minister has been campaigning against that issue but I think that is a smokescreen for the fact the waiting lists are so long. He has been saying it is terrible what politicians do but I will certainly make representations any time I can. We are still waiting and it is a disgrace.

In another example, where I am glad I made an intervention, a child with suspected cancer and a family history of melanoma was told no dermatologist was available in Temple Street Children's University Hospital. The family was told to check with the GP if they had further concerns as the hospital could not give them an appointment. I wrote to the chief executive saying, "Surely there was some mistake". An appointment was given three days later. Thank God that parent came to me and I wrote that letter. It is fortunate the parent was not put off by the Minister's comments about politicians getting appointments because there had been a major error.

I have referred to two examples where the waiting lists have not been addressed but nowhere is it more evident than in respect of obesity clinics and bariatric surgery. A lady contacted me recently who was very upset at the waiting time she had to endure, although I can see on Facebook that she is making huge efforts herself. She needs assistance but there have been huge cuts and the surgeon concerned has been on the radio on a number of occasions.

We have to look at all the up-to-date evidence in regard to obesity and take what the food and drinks industry say with a grain of salt, if Members will forgive the pun. We have to look at all the latest research on artificial sweeteners, sugars and processed foods and try to impress on people that they can cook good food more cheaply than buying processed foods. I urge the Minister to look at the labelling of bread as it is not possible to know what one is buying. One can eat more healthily by picking certain products over others.