Seanad debates

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

3:30 pm

Photo of Gerry HorkanGerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On my own behalf and that of the Fianna Fáil group, I pass on our condolences to the wider Cosgrave family on the death of Liam. I will not go on at length about the former Taoiseach. Senator Michael McDowell made a very thoughtful speech on his contribution to Irish life. It is hard for all of us to appreciate that somebody was within the walls of Leinster House for 38 years and here for a further 40 years after being Taoiseach. He lived a very long and happy life and made a great contribution to the State. May he rest in peace. I had a particular connection with one of his nieces, Louise Cosgrave, who was a councillor in the Stillorgan area. When I was a Fianna Fáil councillor, she was a Fine Gael councillor, but we worked well together long before there were confidence and supply agreements or various other forms of minority arrangements. I regard her as a good friend.

As we will be back to speak about the budget later, I will try to avoid referring to it in this contribution. In advance of Thursday, World Obesity Day, it is very important that the Chamber looks at the issue. Senator Ray Butler has spoken at length about what he did to manage the issues with which he had to deal. Many of us in the Chamber, including me, would like to be a few pounds lighter than we are. It is important, therefore, that on Thursday we acknowledge what is happening. Obesity is a huge problem and something we all need to flag and of which we need to be aware. I hope the sugar tax will prove to be something positive. As somebody said, it will not raise that much revenue if we all modify our behaviour, but it may release some of the strain on the health service in having to treat people who present with conditions associated with carrying excess weight. I want to flag the issue. Let us all try to raise its profile because carrying excess weight leads on to many things, including cancer and stroke. It is important that we all appreciate this, including me as much as anyone else.

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