Sir, – Discussing the obesity crisis (Opinion, May 29th) Fintan O’Toole asks “Are we doing anything about it, like for example, taxing sugary drinks? Are we allowed to talk about it as a fiscal issue? Fat chance”. He is wrong on both accounts.
The Department of Health is conducting a Health Impact Assessment to look into the introduction of a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. Meanwhile the UCD Institute of Food Health is organising a half-day seminar, on June 8th, on the possible role of fat and sugar taxes in dealing with public health problems like obesity.
Soft drinks, along with confectionery, are taxed at the standard rate of VAT, higher than many other foods. So in a sense we already have a “sugar tax”, albeit in a limited and crude way. – Is mise,
KEVIN DENNY,
School of Economics & Geary Institute,
University College Dublin,
Dublin 4.