Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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587. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to develop a policy and action plan to tackle obesity; the type of consultation; who will be consulted; when a draft will be ready; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11337/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The overall aim is to develop a policy and action plan for addressing overweight and obesity in Ireland. This aim reflects the vision of Healthy Ireland,a Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025, which provides a focus on maintaining health and wellbeing and prevention of ill health, rather than just treating illness, and recognises a whole of government and whole-of-society approach to addressing health and wellbeing issues.

The objectives of the Plan are to:

1. Develop a list of priority actions to prevent and manage overweight and obesity in Ireland for the period 2015 to 2025 based on the best available evidence.

2. Develop a plan to progress those actions and to foster cross-sectoral engagement, ownership and accountability.

3. Integrate the action plan within Healthy Ireland and the national policy framework for children and young people.

4. Ensure appropriate integration of the proposed National Physical Activity Plan and other relevant aspects of government policy such as those relating to disease/disability and the physical environment.

The Action Plan will consist of a 50 page document focusing on the areas of supply and availability of Food including pricing and marketing; prevention of overweight and obesity including screening and education; management of overweight and obesity; and information and research. Key stakeholders - including healthcare professionals, industry, relevant government departments, NGOs and children - will be formally consulted as part of the consultation process. The consultation report of this process will feed into the drafting of the Obesity Action Plan which will be finalised during 2015.

I hope the answer above is of help to the Deputy.