Farrell commends Cllr. Tom O’Leary on bringing forward a motion to incorporate ‘No Fry Zones’ into County Development Plan
Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs and Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell has said a forthcoming debate on a motion, introduced by Councillor Tom O’Leary to Fingal County Council regarding the potential inclusion of a provision on ‘No Fry Zones’ in the County Development Plan would be greatly beneficial in tackling obesity among younger members of our local communities.
“I am pleased that Fine Gael Councillor Tom O’Leary is working on bringing forward a motion to Fingal County Council to include ‘No Fry Zones’ in the County Development Plan. Effectively, this provision would prohibit the construction of fast food outlets within 300 metres of a school campus.
“No Fry Zones were first introduced in Wicklow following a campaign involving Philip Moyles. As Chair of the Oireachtas Children and Youth Affairs Committee, I was pleased to facilitate an appearance by Mr. Moyles before the Committee as part of our work on bringing forward measures to tackle childhood obesity, where he highlighted the need for serious consideration to rolling out provisions on ‘No Fry Zones’ throughout the State, particularly given the increased number of schools under construction at present.
“Childhood obesity, and obesity in general have reached epidemic levels and this, every opportunity which works to encourage a healthier lifestyle must be seized upon, including the introduction of ‘No Fry Zones’ in the vicinity of our schools.
“The Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs will be producing a report on childhood obesity in the coming months, following our public hearings on this matter.
“In the interim, I wish to commend Cllr. Tom O’Leary for his work in relation to bringing this motion on the incorporation of ‘No Fry Zones’ into the County Development Plan before Fingal County Council.”