An Taisce 'should not conflict' with Department of Health's dietary advice

An Taisce has been told by a political youth group that its dietary advice “should not conflict” with advice from the Department of Health.

Young Fine Gael (YFG) has called on An Taisce to revise its Climate Action Training Resource “in a way that does not conflict with advice from the Department of Health”.

According to YFG, An Taisce’s document asks young people to “reduce or wholly cease their consumption of meat or dairy”.

However, the Department of Health has said it recommends that young people aged from nine to 18 should consume five servings of dairy and two servings of meat per day, according to YFG’s statement.

President of YFG, Killian Foley-Walsh, has said: “An Taisce’s efforts to combat climate change are welcome. However, these efforts must be supported by the science.

“Claiming that young people should severely limit their consumption of meat and dairy products is in stark conflict with advice from the Department of Health, which is to eat plenty of both.

Climate action must be a collaborative effort, and it is important that when we are presented with opportunities to inadvertently place the blame where it doesn’t belong, that we remain within the science of the issue.

Meanwhile, YFG’s director of policy Art O’Mahony said: “It is impermissible for a non-qualified agency to provide dietary advice to young people in our schools.

“We understand and share the frustration of farmers over this matter, which comes at a time when the industry is in an already precarious position,” O’Mahony concluded.