South Dublin County Council will write to the Minister for Health to consider adding such injections to the medical card scheme
‘We have an obesity problem in Ireland and we need to deal with it’
“I think how you’re looking at these things are so narrow-minded, they’re coming from a conspiracy theory background”, reports James Roulston Mooney
A heated row broke out between councillors over the prospect of weight loss injections being added to the drugs payment and medical card scheme.
Injections, such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, have grown in prominence in recent years and are available to the public via prescriptions.
Costs for these weight loss medications are generally in the three-figure bracket, Councillor Francis Timmons noted a local pharmacy price it at €140.
Cheaper options can be found online but come with a lack of medical supervision, according to an RTÉ Investigates episode last year.
The topic grew contentious quickly with Councillors Linda De Courcy and Paddy Holohan making cases against the move, which led to some fiery responses.
Cllr De Courcy listed side-effects these medications could have, including thyroid tumours, while Cllr Holohan called on his time as an MMA fighter and noted his distrust of the medical industry.
Cllr Holohan stated: “What I would support is if there was some situation where maybe they diagnose or maybe some yoga or maybe walking or maybe whatever you can do and we subsidise that first.”
The HSE state that Ireland has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe, with 60% of adults and over one in five children being overweight or obese.
Councillor Niamh Whelan told the chamber about her own experience with obesity and noted that the views of her colleagues were “idealistic.”
Cllr Whelan said: “I’m happy that neither of you have ever had a problem with obesity because it’s one of the most harsh and most difficult and most stigmatising things…
“…From the age of 13, I was on diets, I was on exercise plans. I still ended up nearly 20 stone a couple of years ago.
“Now, with the help of exercise, diet and weight loss drugs, I’ve lost a vast amount of that.
“So don’t sit here and tell me to go on a walk or to eat a bowl of lettuce.”
Several other councillors provided their thoughts on the proposed move, with Councillor Mick Duff recommending a pharmacy in Ballyfermot to Cllr Timmons as they sell weight loss injections €16 cheaper than his colleague’s go-to.
South Dublin County Council will write to the Minister for Health to consider adding such injections to the scheme after a vote saw 28 in favour and three against.
Councillor Francis Timmons stated: “We have an obesity problem in Ireland, and we need to deal with it.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
