Irish Heart Foundation supports ‘no fry zones’

Sir/Madam,

Under the Government’s 2013 health and wellbeing framework – Healthy Ireland – planning authorities have a responsibility to promote healthy communities. Recommendations on the role of local authorities and planning in promoting a healthy environment can be found in:

Healthy Ireland. A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025

A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025

Better Outcomes Brighter Futures. The national policy framework for children and young people 2014-2020

Moreover, the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government published statutory guidelines for planning authorities in June 2013 on Local Area Plans (LAPs) under Section 28 of the Planning Act 2000 (as amended). Section 5 of these Guidelines offers advice as regards the structure and content of local area plans and sets out a range of policies that can be put in place to promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns for local communities.

A practical effect of these Guidelines with regard to fastfood outlets is that consideration can be given to the appropriateness of their location in the vicinity of schools and parks. In addition, planning policy with regard to the location of fast-food outlets needs to be considered also within the wider policy context of practical steps that can be taken to more widely promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns, by enhancing the scope for activities such as walking, cycling and sports and active leisure pursuits and their associated facilities.

The development of No Fry Zones is recognised as an integral part of reducing the obesogenic environment and a body of research links over-concentration of and/or proximity to fast-food outlets and obesity. In July 2016, Wicklow County Council voted to accept objective RT17 to provide for no-fry zones in its Development Plan and was the first County Development Plan to include an explicit objective to develop these no-fry zones. This was an important day for public health in Wicklow, and indeed Ireland.

The Irish Heart Foundation fully support the introduction of no-fry zones and we believe that a greater sense of urgency must be attached to this. In the case of Co Wicklow, any attempts to undermine objective RT17 should be resisted. The IHF is aware that no-fry zones are only part of the solution to improving the obesogenic environment, but it was one that was agreed by Wicklow County Council, and which should be respected.

Yours etc,

Kathryn Reilly Policy Manager Irish Heart Foundation 17-19 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6