Folic acid in flour plans to supplement pregnant women’s vitamin intake

THE Government is to press ahead with plans to fortify flour with folic acid to combat failure by women to take the vital vitamin when planning pregnancy.

Health Minister Micheál Martin said the case for fortification of flour in Ireland was now "sufficiently robust" to start consultation on how to implement the policy.

Risk benefit analysis of fortification of flour carried out by the Food Safety Authority (FSA) indicated the incidence of Neural Tube Defects congenital defects of the brain and spinal cord such as spina bifida could be reduced by up to 41% if the policy was implemented.

Speaking at the IMO AGM in Killarney, Mr Martin said the policy was necessary because "despite all measures taken to date, the majority of women are not taking folic acid supplements at the time of conception".

He said there were a number of technical, legal and trade issues that would have to be considered prior to the policy being introduced, but that his department, in conjunction with the FSA, was preparing plans for a consultation process.

The minister's comments were included in his speech to IMO delegates, in which he urged them not to stall his health reform programme by refusing to take part in implementation groups. Consultants have withdrawn from such activities in a row with the department over medical insurance cover.

However IMO president George McNeice accused the Government of "trampling on the contractual rights of consultants" by their decision to introduce a new clinical indemnity scheme without agreement from the consultants. As a result, he said, the IMO would never again enter an agreement with the Government without securing written commitment in advance.

He said ring-fenced funding was needed to implement reform, that the time for reports was over.