Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children via television and the Internet; the estimated extent and nature of children's exposure to marketing for high fat, salt and sugar, HFSS, foods via television and the Internet as per the protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42105/17]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children via television and the internet and this has influenced our own Code of Practice for food and drink promotion, marketing, product placement and sponsorship that has been developed by a working group and will be published shortly.

This Code, which specifically targets High Fat, Sugar and Salt foods (HFSS) and drinkshas been developed as an early action in the ‘Healthy Weight for Ireland’ Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) launched last September under the Healthy Ireland agenda. The OPAP covers a ten year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy.

The OPAP prescribes 'Ten Steps Forward' and under each step there are a number of actions, some of which have been identified for early implementation. Step 3 is to Secure appropriate support from the commercial sector to play its part in obesity prevention.I wish to emphasise that every sector of our society has a role in reducing the burden of obesity and the OPAP clearly acknowledges this.

The World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children will also influence the revision of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Children’s Communication Code which already targets advertising of High Fat, Sugar and Salt foods(HFSS) and drinks on broadcast media.