Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 14 Mar 1991

Vol. 406 No. 5

Written Answers. - Health Promotion Action.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

73 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if, in his five year framework of action for health promotion, he will consider promoting (1) more local home grown foods, ideally through organic methods such as oats, barley, wheat and green vegetables and (2) a reduction in imported citrus and tropical fruits, particularly from developing countries, such as pineapple, kiwi fruits, bananas and rice as this will help Irish farmers in distributing their foods locally and give a recommended diet of more warming, high mineral content and low sugar foods; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

The key objectives of the five year action framework on nutrition health promotion, which I will launch shortly, are based on the Healthy Eating Guidelines formulated by the former Food Advisory Committee and disseminated by my Department's Health Promotion Unit. The two principal objectives are that the Irish diet should, first, be varied so that the necessary nutrients are consumed, and consumed in balanced amounts, and secondly, should also provide energy consistent with the maintenance of appropriate body weight.

As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has an international reputation as a high-quality food producing country involving the agricultural, marine and horticultural sectors in particular. The implementation of a health promotion programme on nutrition will rely heavily, though not exclusively, on the availability of nutritious food produced at home. In order to achieve the objectives of the action framework, it will be important to network with Irish food industry groups to ensure the availability of a wide range of home produced foods. The promotion of their consumption will also be important.

In relation to the Deputy's proposal on the reduction of imports of certain fruits and cereals, the Deputy will be aware that this proposal goes beyond my area of responsibility as Minister for Health. Indeed, it is precisely because many issues in health promotion, such as nutrition, involve the co-operation of Departments other than Health that a Cabinet subcommittee on health promotion was established. The subcommittee, as the Deputy is probably aware, is chaired by myself and is composed of the Ministers for Agriculture, Education, Energy, Environment and Labour. The rationale for the committee is to provide an effective mechanism whereby decision making in areas of public policy, including food and nutrition policy, can be informed by a health perspective.

The healthy eating guidelines recommend that a regular diet should be based on a wide and varied range of foodstuffs to ensure a balanced intake of all essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. The reduction of the availability of the foods referred to by the Deputy would not be consistent with the need to have available a wide and varied range of foods, particularly fruit and cereals, especially as such foods are generally available and consumed at present.

The action framework will encompass the promotion of foods low in sugar and a reduction in the frequency of the consumption of sugary foods in the Irish diet, particularly by children and adults who are overweight. Foods rich in minerals and vitamins will also be promoted.