Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of the new Obesity Policy and Action Plan, due to be published in early 2026; whether a public consultation on the new iteration of the policy and action plan will be conducted in the coming months, in advance of publication; if so, the timing for that consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33551/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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A Healthy Weight for Ireland, the current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).

OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.

Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.

The current OPAP runs through to the end of 2025 and a successor Obesity Policy and Action Plan will be due at the beginning of 2026. The Department is at an early stage of preparing the next OPAP. In January the Department held a workshop with Government departments, agencies, public health bodies, advocacy groups and academics to identify some of the key themes to consider as part of the development of the next OPAP.

Following a recent tender, consultants experienced in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation, and obesity-related healthcare policy have now been appointed to assist in developing the new Obesity Policy and Action Plan.

As part of this work, the consultants will facilitate focus groups with key stakeholder groups once the vision and strategic goals for a new policy have been identified by policy makers, informed by evidence. We also anticipate conducting a public stakeholder consultation.

It is expected that a new obesity policy will be published in early 2026. The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, includes a commitment to develop a new Obesity Policy and Action Plan.