David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is absolutely insane. We need real consistency. My briefing note refers to tackling the obesogenic environment. I know what obesogenic is, but many people do not. I know what it is because I did Latin. We need to use simple language to get at people.

Here is a real weakness: there is no dedicated funding to tackle obesity, but there should be. Suggestions were made to the effect that money from the sugar tax should be ring-fenced. The Department of Finance, once again, stymied that. We should stand up to the Department of Finance in these areas.

The World Health Organization says there is complete, unequivocal evidence that childhood obesity is influenced by marketing, so we need to tackle marketing. Then, there is the question of access to water. Some 40% of schools do not have access to water. I find that astonishing. There should be water fountains in all schools. The stocking and sale of unhealthy products in school vending machines is pretty obvious. We need to pull the plug on vending machines. We need a national standard for the provision of school food. Financial support should be provided, where necessary, to help schools implement this policy. Drinking water should be freely available. Children should be protected from unhealthy food and beverage marketing within schools.

We should develop at a national level guidance for all local authorities on the introduction of no-fry zones. We should use a portion of the sugar-sweetened drinks levy revenue to establish a children's future health fund. That is a fine aim but we have to attack the Department of Finance and stop those involved from frustrating the wish of the Oireachtas to use this money. It is so obvious.

I made the same point when Tony Gregory and I were campaigning to introduce the Criminal Assets Bureau. I put down amendments to legislation to the effect that the money bled out of the veins of the unfortunate people in the north inner city of Dublin should be recirculated for drugs programmes in those areas. The Department of Finance sat on it and would not allow it. Those involved have to be challenged politically.

We need to develop family food initiatives to support children and families experiencing food poverty. This is another aspect of our situation. In 2018 we still have food poverty in this country. We need to address that.