Oireachtas group to tackle childhood obesity

A new cross-party Oireachtas group is seeking more effective ways to tackle childhood obesity and food poverty.

In particular, it will consider using a sugar tax that could be used to subsidise healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables.

The group is chaired by Independent Senator Jillian van Turnhout, and the Irish Heart Foundation is providing a secretariat to support it. It is also being assisted by other organisations, including the Children’s rights Alliance and Social Justice Ireland.