Minister Murnane O’Connor launches Public Consultation on New National Obesity Strategy

Press Release: Thursday 7 August 2025

Minister Murnane O’Connor launches Public Consultation on New National Obesity Strategy

The Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor has today launched a public consultation to inform the development of Ireland’s next Obesity Policy and Action Plan.

This consultation invites individuals, communities, healthcare professionals, and organisations to share their insights, experiences, and recommendations in shaping a new, inclusive strategy to tackle obesity. All submissions will be reviewed and compiled into a report, that will guide the drafting of the new strategy.

Minister Murnane O’Connor, said:

“Obesity is one of the most pressing public health challenges facing Ireland today, with over half of our adult population affected by overweight or obesity. This is not just a personal health issue—it’s a national concern that impacts our healthcare system, our communities, and our future.

“Thanks to the current strategy, we’ve made important progress in stabilising obesity rates and implementing key actions, but now we must go further.

“That’s why we’re launching this public consultation—to ensure the next national obesity strategy is informed by the voices of those it will serve. We want to hear from everyone—individuals, families, healthcare professionals, and community organisations. Your input is essential to creating a strategy that is both effective and inclusive.”

Ireland’s leadership in obesity prevention and treatment has been recognised internationally. At the European Congress on Obesity held in Dublin in 2023, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO-Euro) launched its integrated service delivery framework for obesity management, highlighting Ireland’s approach as a core example of success. WHO-Euro commended Ireland’s model of care for offering scalable and effective solutions through coordinated efforts across all levels of the health system—providing valuable lessons for other countries seeking to strengthen their own obesity management frameworks.

The consultation is open until 18 September 2025. To learn more and participate, please visit [gov.ie link].

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

The upcoming strategy will build on the foundations laid by the current policy, A Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016–2025 (OPAP), while addressing new and emerging challenges.

Today, 60% of adults and one in five children in Ireland are living with overweight or obesity. Thanks to the efforts under OPAP, these figures have stabilised, but further action is needed to drive meaningful reductions.

Since its launch in 2016, OPAP has delivered several key achievements, including:

• Healthy Eating Guidelines tailored for young children and older adults
• Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax introduced in 2018, with a 2024 evaluation showing reduced consumption of sugary beverages
• Food Reformulation Roadmap and the creation of a dedicated Taskforce to implement reformulation goals
• HSE Model of Care for the Management of Overweight and Obesity
• HSE Healthy Eating Active Living Programme, promoting healthier lifestyles across communities

In January 2025, Ireland hosted WHO-Euro and representatives from Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain for a series of meetings under the WHO Demonstration Platform—the first of its kind to focus on a specific public health challenge rather than an entire healthcare system. Obesity was chosen as the focus, reflecting its status as a chronic disease and pressing public health issue.

The previous strategy, A Healthy Weight for Ireland, is available [here].