Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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833. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has plans to add folic acid to flour and bread products in the interest of public health in view of emerging evidence from the United Kingdom (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46779/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health has received a Folic Acid Supplementation Report prepared by the Department’s Folic Acid Policy Committee which was established to help the Department’s policy considerations on the matter.

While the Committee’s report found that there is considerable evidence in support of the introduction of mandatory fortification of foodstuffs with folic acid, it also recognised that this would be a significant undertaking in terms of resources and timing. In addition, there was an acknowledgement that the implications of Brexit would need to be worked through before further consideration could be given to mandatory food fortification.