Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 December 2012
92. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form the moneys provided by his Department to the Food Dudes programme yearly since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54689/12]
View answer93. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken a value for money review of the Food Dudes programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54690/12]
View answer94. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to extend the reach of the Food Dudes programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54691/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92 to 94, inclusive, together.
Scientific studies of Children’s Diet by IUNA (Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance) have shown that children’s intake of fruit and vegetables is less than that recommended. This is being addressed in Ireland with some success through the Food Dude Programme, managed by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board), with funding from my Department and the European Union School Fruit Scheme.
The Food Dude Programme was developed by Professor Fergus Lowe of Bangor University, Wales, and aims to encourage increased consumption of fruit and vegetables by primary school children. The programme is based on positive role models cartoon peer models (Food Dudes), repeated tastings of raw fruit and vegetables and small prizes to change attitudes and cultivate a liking for fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetable portions are provided to school children over an intervention period of 16 consecutive school days. Consumption diaries, DVD of Food Dude superheroes, small prizes, certificates and school room wall charts are also provided to maintain fruit and vegetable consumption in the longer term.
The national roll out of the programme commenced in 2007. The EU funded School Fruit Scheme which commenced in 2009 enabled the expansion of the programme. To date, over 70% of all primary schools in Ireland have participated in the programme, with 384 schools and 63,644 children participating in the 2011/2012 school year. The EU School Fruit Scheme contributes 50% of the cost of fruit and vegetables and my Department contributes matching funds as well as the full costs of the rewards, videos and programme co-ordinators.
The programme has been evaluated a number of times since it was first rolled out. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with high satisfaction rates being recorded amongst both parents and children. The most recent evaluation was carried out by an expert team from University College Dublin in 2011 and it showed that the Food Dude Programme has effectively increased the consumption of fruit and vegetables among the school going children that participated in the evaluation.
The amounts contributed by my Department since 2009 are as follows:
|
Year |
Amount Paid |
|
2009 |
€1,966,000 |
|
2010 |
€1,500,000 |
|
2011 |
€1,826,711.62 |
|
2012* |
€1,127,500 |
*contributed year to date
My Department is currently in the process in extending the reach of the Food Dude Programme to target new intake of children in schools that have already participated in the Food Dude Programme.
