‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Government’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland agenda. It 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.
An Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG) was established in October 2017, and met regularly thereafter. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the business of the Department of Health and upon the work of many of the OPIOG members, it met only once in 2020. This meeting was held remotely on 24 September. The standard practice is for the minutes of an OPIOG meeting to be approved at the next meeting.
The previous Chairperson of the OPIOG has stepped down and it is expected that this position will be filled shortly and a meeting held thereafter. There are no plans to have the minutes of the meeting of 24 September 2020 approved in advance of the next meeting, but this can be examined further in the context of the appointment of a new Chairperson.
