5 May 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Cork North Central TD Ken O’Flynn has today called on the Minister for Health to commission a comprehensive national report on obesity in Ireland and to urgently consider safer, more accessible models for prescribing weight-loss medications, in line with emerging international best practices.
The Independent Ireland TD – O’Flynn – has submitted a Parliamentary Question urging the Minister to assess the scale of Ireland’s obesity crisis, which continues to worsen. Recent data indicates that nearly 60% of adults in Ireland are overweight or living with obesity . Alarmingly, Ireland has one of the highest rates of obesity among women in Europe, with 62% affected . Among children, approximately one in five primary school pupils are overweight.
Speaking on the issue, Deputy O’Flynn said:
“We are now at a point where obesity must be treated as a major public health emergency. The growing scale of the problem is putting unsustainable pressure on our hospitals, GP services, and long-term care systems. We need a coordinated, forward-thinking strategy that includes early intervention, education, and access to safe, medically supervised treatment.”
Deputy O’Flynn also raised serious concerns about the increasing trend of individuals sourcing weight-loss drugs online, including medications claiming to be semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro), without any medical consultation.
“I have been made aware that many people in Ireland are purchasing unregulated or potentially counterfeit weight-loss drugs online—without prescriptions or oversight. This is deeply worrying. These medications, while effective under clinical supervision, can carry serious health risks if misused, overused, or fraudulently sourced.”
“In light of the UK’s proposed NHS pilot—which would allow approved medications to be prescribed via community pharmacies following structured consultations—I am asking the Minister to explore whether a similar, clinically safe model could be developed here. We should be aiming to expand access in a safe and equitable manner, not forcing people to take risks online due to lack of options.”
Deputy O’Flynn is calling on the Government to act urgently to address these risks, safeguard public health, and ensure that obesity treatment options are accessible, regulated, and rooted in evidence-based medical care.
This is what AI thinks an obese man looks like. This is an AI generated image of “obesity man ireland”.