Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has taken the lead responsibility to provide an integrated and consistent proactive approach to addressing overweight and obesity and to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the national strategy on obesity, as recommended by the national task force on obesity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25907/08]

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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A range of initiatives are being taken by various Government Departments and Agencies in response to the report of the National Taskforce on Obesity. These include:

my Department and the Department of Education and Science are developing healthy eating guidelines for schools. Guidelines for preschools and primary schools are already developed and appropriate healthy eating training by community dieticians with preschool and primary school staff is currently underway. The guidelines for post-primary schools will be published very shortly. Guidelines on levels of physical activity are currently being devised by the Population Health Directorate of the Health Service Executive.

my Department will be publishing the first National Nutrition Policy later this year. This will fulfil a key recommendation of the Taskforce on Obesity. While addressing the nutritional needs of the whole population, it will have a particular focus on the 0-18 year age group.

the Cardiovascular Health Policy Group, due to report this year, will be advising on measures to tackle lifestyle issues like obesity at population level as well as in the primary care setting.

the Health Service Executive has taken a number of anti-obesity initiatives, including:

the recruitment of Specialist Community Dieticians;

the appointment of Physical activity Co-ordinators;

the development of specialist hospital services for the treatment of obesity.

the Department of Transport is developing a Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan. A consultative document has been published which discusses the potential of cycling and walking, and suggests ways in which these could be promoted as alternative modes of healthy travel.

the Departments of Arts, Sports and Tourism, Environment and Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs have developed a range of sports, recreational and playground facilities for children and young adults.

In order to give a new impetus to this issue, I am this week commencing a series of bilateral discussions with relevant Departments with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Taskforce. It is my intention to work closely with Government colleagues to ensure a coherent approach to implementing the recommendations of the Taskforce.