Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. The obesity epidemic is an issue that I have been vocal about for some time and my Commencement matter pertains to children in particular.

The Minister of State will be aware of recent figures. I was shocked by one figure in particular which claimed that over the next 14 years, or by 2020, we will spend approximately €4.3 billion a year on health-related obesity costs. To a health service that is already struggling such a cost deserves serious consideration. There has also been a 65% rise in diabetes in the UK in the past ten years. A similar study has not been conducted in Ireland but we are following a similar trend, if not a worse one, than the UK. Such figures are very significant from that point of view.Obesity robs children of their health and vitality. It is an issue we are not taking seriously enough in this country. One in four children is either overweight or obese. We will soon be talking about one in three children being overweight or obese if we do not begin to take the issue more seriously. Pinning the blame on parents simply will not wash. In the long term, we have to take a societal approach. One such measure is imposing a "no fry zone" near schools. It is a catchy headline. The reality is that if children are able to make an unhealthy choice, they are more likely to make it. I propose that within a 500 m radius of a school, one should not be allowed to build or use a premises as a chipper. There are chippers in many towns around the country but this is not about banning chippers or chips or anything of the sort. It is simply about getting children to make healthier choices. It is a bit like removing sweets from the till, which many supermarkets have done. It helps in dealing with pester power and in making better choices.

I reiterate that I am not down on chippers as a business. It is not that I think children should not eat any fried food. Why not occasionally? It is just that some of these outlets target children on their lunch break or after school with deals to get them eating their food. They are business people and they have to make a living. One can understand why it happens. There is some international evidence to back this up. In a study carried out in California, students with a fast food restaurant near their schools consumed much less fruit and vegetables, consumed more fizzy drinks and were more likely to be overweight or obese. Obviously this is an issue for development plans in the council. When it comes to planning, it is a local government issue but the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government should have some policy when it comes to this issue and should encourage local government to come up with a reasonable proposal for a "no fry zone" near schools. It has simply gone beyond the stage where we need to do something about the issue of growing obesity levels in the country. I look forward to hearing from the Minister of State on the matter.