Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2018
219. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when a model (details supplied) will be established; the timeframe for same; the way in which his Department is working towards facilitating a cross-sectoral and cross-departmental approach to healthy lifestyles especially with the Departments of Education and Skills and Employment Affairs and Social Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2627/18]
View answer222. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans to encourage post-primary schools to develop healthy eating policies (details supplied); if his Department requires that schools do this; the legislative provisions or other mechanisms that must be agreed to do so; the guidance, other than circulars, that has been provided by his Department to encourage and assist in the development of healthy eating policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2630/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 222 together.
My Department has established an Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group. The national Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG) - under the Chair of my Department - is comprised of representatives from a range of Government Departments and Agencies including the Department of Education & Skills and the Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection.
The Terms of Reference of this group include to:
- Promote, develop and support action on the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) across all relevant Government Departments, agencies and sectors; and
- Identify processes for engaging with networks of stakeholders.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the OPIOG held its inaugural meeting on the 19th of October last with further meetings to be arranged at agreed intervals for the purposes of providing oversight to the implementation of the national Obesity Policy & Action Plan (OPAP).
At its inaugural meeting, the OPOIG agreed to establish two sub-groups for Reformulation and Healthy Eating. The Healthy Eating sub-group, which includes the stakeholder Departments involved in publishing the Nutrition Standards for Food in Schools will meet later this month to discuss Terms of Reference and propose a Work Programme.
It is anticipated that the Healthy Eating sub-group of the OPIOG will include an action to elaborate on work aimed at promoting cross-sectoral action to support healthy eating for children and young people in various settings such as schools and colleges, the youth sector and the community. Rolling out the Nutrition Standards for School Meals to all primary and post primary schools will be discussed in this context.
Guidelines for Development of a Healthy Eating Policy in Post-Primary Schools are available from my Department and used by the Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme in the HSE together with the revised Food Pyramid resources and the Nutrition Standards in School Meals with schools. This work will also be discussed in the context of the work programme agreed for the OPOIG Healthy Eating sub-group.
The Lifeskills survey falls under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills, who are supportive of the promotion of healthy lifestyles in schools and has issued circulars (51/2015 and Circular 0013/2016) to support and strengthen schools' efforts in developing in young people the skills and attitudes needed to make informed decisions about their health.
Much is being done already in the area of education on healthy lifestyles, both in terms of the curriculum delivery and in resourcing. The latter includes support from organisations or projects like An Bord Bia, Food Dudes, Incredible Edibles and Health Promoting Schools. Schools and the wider education sector in conjunction with parents and families have a crucial role to play in supporting students to make healthy choices. Actions to support this can be seen across the curriculum, through subjects such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Home Economics as well as in Physical Education. It is also an important component of Wellbeing, the new area of learning introduced to all first year students from September 2017, as part of the implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. The work in schools to support healthy lifestyles complements the Government's Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 - 2025 - Healthy Ireland.
