ACTIVE HEALTH

(a healthier happier future)

As obesity rates continue to soar in the developed world with BMI's of 25% in almost 60% of the population the time is now to act in a fundamental way to avert the misery of obesity and all the disabilities and illness that it brings.

I am proposing a government lead initiative that will fundamentally support the health of the people. Such an initiative will enable a cultural shift and once again will show Ireland as a progressive and caring people leading a global trend that is bound to be adopted in the decade ahead. As with our tobacco initiatives.

By introducing a tax free allowance for the membership fees of all health clubs/sports facilities that qualify under the terms of the scheme. Encouraging the general population to become more active and thereby healthier. This allowance can be capped at an appropriate level say €500.

People who engage in the initiative could also be offered discounts on their Health Insurance premiums.

A healthier population will mean less strain on the national health system, reducing costs for the exchequer.

General health both physical and mental will improve and productivity will increase.

Jobs within the health / sports industry will grow exponentially increasing employment as memberships increase. Which will drive more tax revenue for the exchequer for use in other services required by society.

Everyone's a winner.

The implementation would require a screening process and a registration fee to be paid potentially annually by the qualifying clubs and facilities.

I believe there is also the potential for a supporting role to be played by the Health Insurance Industry and this will be teased out by consent with the major players in the market.

In recent correspondence with Dr Pierce O’Reilly of the OECD, he mentioned that this is an area of interest and forwarded me a paper:

OECD Health Working Paper No. 66

The Role of Fiscal Policies in Health Promotion

12.4 Tax Credits

69. Further positive incentives for healthy consumption may derive from targeted personal tax credits. An example is the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit (CFTC) introduced by the Canadian Government in 2007, which provides a tax credit of up to $500 for those who register children under 16 years of age in a physical activity programme.

Improved health, reduced costs on the health system, increased productivity in the work place, and a growth in employment in the sports and activity industry.