Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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213. To ask the Minister for Health the revenue that would be raised by introducing a sugar tax on sugary drinks, as proposed by the Irish Heart Foundation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25669/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I have met the Irish Heart Foundation and am aware of their report. In 2012 the Department commissioned a Health Impact Assessment of a sugar sweetened drinks tax, which concluded that, "Price increases tend to decrease demand but the degree to which this happens is variable because consumer behaviour and industry response to tax is difficult to predict". Subsequent to this the European Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has recently published a document on the experience of other European countries and showed a mixed picture. In some countries this is viewed as income generation and has no impact on consumption but in others the early indications suggest a reduction in consumption of sugar sweetened drinks. This matter is being kept under review. An Obesity Policy and Action Plan is currently under development and will address a broad range of measures to reduce the level of overweight and obesity in Ireland.