Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2024-05-22
============================================================

Christopher O'Sullivan (FF), Cork South-West

If we told people there was a medicine that could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 33%, they would take it. If we told people that there was a tonic that could reduce the risk of type 3 diabetes by 40%, they would absolutely take it. If we told people there was a tool that could reduce the risk of depression by 30%, they would absolutely take it. This medicine does exist. It is called physical activity. We need to incentivise it. Physical inactivity costs the State approximately €1.5 billion per year. Yesterday, we heard a presentation from the Irish Physical Activity Alliance calling for a tax relief for gym memberships and physical activity. I ask that we support this call. It would lead to healthier lifestyles and longer lives and would save the State a fortune. I ask the Taoiseach to support that call.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2024-05-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2024-05-22