Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health does not have any remit over what specific products can be sold in individual food retailers. To our knowledge, policy consideration has not yet been given to the option of ensuring that food retail outlets sell individual whole fresh fruit. This could be considered, but would have to be undertaken in partnership across Government and including the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as the issues involved extend beyond this Department’s remit.

However there are measures that have been undertaken under Healthy Ireland. This includes a Framework for Improved Health and Well-being 2013-2025, which was launched in March 2013 and is the national Framework supporting the health and well-being of the country. It takes a “whole of Government” and “whole of society” approach to improving health and well-being. The Framework is based on international research, experience and thinking in addressing the broad social determinants of health.

Healthy Ireland seeks to tackle the major lifestyle issues which lead to negative health outcomes, including smoking, alcohol, poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity. It also seeks to address the wider societal and environmental factors that impact on health and well-being, for example, housing, education, transport, and the physical environment. The Framework aims to shift the focus to prevention, seeks to reduce health inequalities, and emphasises the need to empower people and communities to better support their own health and well-being.

‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP)’, was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework. 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. Every sector of our society has a role in reducing the burden of obesity and the OPAP clearly acknowledges this.

Promotion of healthy eating and improving the availability of healthier food options, including the promotion of fruit and vegetable intake, is fundamental to many programmes that are co-ordinated under the OPAP.

Outlined below are some of the initiatives that have been implemented under the OPAP, that facilitate communities to make healthier food and lifestyle choices:

• Healthy eating dietary guidelines for children aged 1-5 years have been produced and resources are available on the Healthy Ireland and safefood websites. Healthy eating guidelines for individuals aged over 65 have also been published as part the Department’s commitments under OPAP.
• Food and Nutrition standards have also been developed for early learning and childcare services, based on the healthy eating guidelines for 1-5 year-olds. These were developed in collaboration with Healthy Ireland, safefood, HSE and Department of Health and are designed to inform the development and implementation of Healthy Eating Policy and practice in Early Learning and Care Services.
• The Health and Well-being team have collaborated with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Education, Bord Bia and Agri-Aware on two initiatives “Food Dudes” and “Incredible Edibles”, both of which encourage children to explore tasting, cooking and growing with fruit and vegetables, so that they can be encouraged to include them in their diet.
• The Department of Social Protection has implemented the free school meal scheme to DEIS primary schools. Nutrition Standards were developed to offer food providers meal options that comply with healthy eating guidelines and ensure that children are offered fruit and vegetables daily.
• The HSE runs the Healthy Food Made Easy Programme to encourage communities to come together to develop cooking skills and provide healthy meals for families.
• 19 Community Food and Nutrition Officers have been recruited in the last year, as part of the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme. The role of community food and nutrition workers is to take a cross sectoral approach in areas around the country that have been identified as being socially disadvantaged, to map out existing services and to signpost individuals towards accessing the appropriate supports for their families.