Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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237. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of funding provided to Bord Bia over the past five years for healthy foods initiatives; the EU funding programmes which are administered by Bord Bia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20681/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department funds a number of healthy eating and food promotion initiatives.

The national Food Dudes healthy eating programme is an evidence-based incentivised, behaviour changing programme. Food Dudes is overseen by my Department and implemented by Bord Bia. My Department funds this programme annually through its Vote and the EU funding is made available through my Department via the EU School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme.

Food Dudes aims to increase sustained fruit and vegetable consumption amongst primary school children through repeated tasting of fruit and vegetables over a 16 day intervention period with the support of accompanying measures in the form of role models (Food Dudes Heroes) and small rewards. This is a voluntary programme into which schools elect to take part and is free of charge. The programme has been evaluated a number of times and all evaluations have shown that the Food Dudes Programme increased fruit and vegetable consumption in the target group and this was sustained.  Participating figure and levels of funding for the last 5 years are detailed in the table.

Table – Ireland  - EU School Fruit & Vegetables Scheme / Food Dudes Budget and Participation

The Deputy will be aware that full details on the Food Dudes (Healthy Eating) Programme were presented by my Department and Bord Bia to the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs on 2nd May, 2018 – topic “Tackling Childhood Obesity and the Food Dudes programme”.

My Department also funds the School Milk Scheme, which is implemented by the National Dairy Council and overseen by my Department. EU co-funding for this scheme is made available through the EU School Scheme. The Scheme provides a carton of milk at a reduced cost to every child registered in participating schools - Montessori, National and Secondary Schools. The programme encourages children to adopt healthy eating choices at a yong age, helping to count towards one of their recommended servings from the "milk, yogurt and cheese" food group, and as the milk is delivered by local dairies, participation also supports local jobs in the economy.

During the current school year, approximately 60,000 pupils in 520 schools are participating. The School Milk Scheme has been operated in Ireland by my Department since 1982 with the aim to promote and encourage the consumption of milk among school children.

Furthermore, while not specifically in the Healthy Food initiative space Bord Bia is currently engaged in running 5 promotional programmes in EU and third countries, co-funded through the EU Regulatory Regime for the Promotion of Agricultural Products - which aims to assist EU agri-trade bodies in diversifying trade partners as well increasing consumer awareness of the efforts of EU farmers, with its tag line “Enjoy it’s from Europe” . The balance of each of the Promotion Programme funds are financed by the agri food sectors concerned via dedicated industry contributions specifically for each programme. The programmes are implemented by Bord Bia and overseen by my Department.

Table: EU Promotion programmes currently run by Bord Bia are as follows: