Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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470. To ask the Minister for Health the levels of oversight he has regarding the setting out of menus in school canteens; the number of healthy eating and-or food education initiatives his Department is involved in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2868/17]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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As a Minister of State for Health Promotion, I have no role in oversight for schools menus. Issues which occur in schools are a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills. My Department and the Health Services Executive (HSE) continues to support the Department of Education and Skills in the implementation of the curriculum and to improve health promotion in school settings. We will continue to work with the Department of Education and Skills on matters including a whole-school approach to healthy lifestyle programmes including, but not limited to the curriculum, on nutrition, physical activity and exercise, smoking, alcohol, mental well-being and sexual health as was indicated in Action 1.1 of, "A Healthy Weight for Ireland - Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016-2015." Under Action point 1.1, it is also intended to develop National Food Standards for primary schools.

This Policy is particularly concerned with overweight and obesity in children and young people. Prevention is the primary focus of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan and preventing children from becoming overweight must form the cornerstone of prevention efforts. It covers a ten year period until 2025 and sets targets to be achieved and actions that will produce measurable outcomes. The first part is set out as the "Ten Steps Forward." Each Step includes a number of priority actions, many of which have already commenced.

The HSE work with the Department of Health and Department of Education and Skills to deliver Healthy Food policy workshops and training to teachers across primary and post-primary schools. In terms of initiatives in schools, the HSE: provides information tools and resources to schools such as 'Eat Smart Move More booklet', reward chart and posters, 'Healthy Lunchbox' leaflets; it funds the Irish Heart Foundation Health Promotion Programme which is rolling out a Happy Heart@School Catering Award in post-primary schools the HSE is in the process of providing all schools with a bi-lingual set of 'Healthy Eating for Life' resources which were launched in November 2016 by my Department. The HSE also provides training for the community based cooking programmes Healthy Food Made Easy/Cook-it which some schools have adapted and integrated into their curriculum for Transition Year students.