Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she intends to take arising from the publication of the report of the task force on obesity; if it is intended to implement the recommendations of the report in so far as they relate to her Department's areas of responsibilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17367/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The report of the national task force on obesity directs two specific recommendations to my Department. These are: the Department of Agriculture and Food should review policies in partnership with other Government Departments to promote access to healthy food — such policies should encompass positive discrimination in the provision of grants and funding to local industry in favour of healthy products; the Department, together with the Department of Health and Children, should promote the implementation of evidence based healthy eating interventions.

Obesity is, I believe, an immensely important issue for the future health of our society. It demands a multi-faceted response, including a proactive approach by the food industry. In regard to the first recommendation, as I have indicated previously in response to parliamentary questions, subsidising prices is a form of state aid that is not permissible under EU state aid rules. Positive discrimination between products could also result in a challenge on competition grounds at national or EU level. I will, however, examine all the possibilities open to me in this area within legal constraints, including state aid rules.

As regards the second recommendation, the recently publicised scientific study on children's diet, carried out by Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance under the sponsorship of my Department's FIRM programme and the FSAI, also bears out the rising prevalence of obesity among the younger population. This is the first comprehensive scientific evaluation of dietary intake in children in Ireland and provides direction for the dietary strategies that need to be established to prevent obesity in Irish children. Inadequate consumption of milk, fresh meat and fruit and vegetables were identified in the study. I believe the Irish food industry is well positioned to supply and promote products to remedy this dietary deficiency. Bord Bia, through my Department, has already sought European Commission approval for co-funding the promotion of fruit and vegetables and I will continue to be supportive of initiatives of this kind.