Pictured at the launch of the National Dairy Council pilot programme to promote the Milk Scheme: Chloe Murphy (11) and Gareth McCabe (9), both from Our Lady of Lourdes National School, Inchicore, Dublin; Fran Gavin, FAI; Helen Brophy, Chief Executive National Dairy Council; Batt O'Keeffe, Minister for Education and Science.

The initiative will focus on the one hand on nutrition and the role of milk as part of a balanced diet, and on the other hand on exercise as part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. 

The partnership will see Club Promotion Officers for the FAI (eircom League of Ireland) developing a network with dairy co-op members in each region. In the greater Dublin area this will involve officers from St. Patrick’s Athletic Football Club working in co-operation with Glanbia and the National Dairy Council.  

Selected schools will receive visits from soccer players and there will be discussions on exercise and sports performance. Classes will also have presentations by Club Promotion Officers on the benefits of dairy consumption, within the context of a healthy and balanced diet, based on the nutritional expertise of the National Dairy Council.  

The pilot phase is expected to run from October to December 2008 and will then be reviewed and assessed in the context of the feasibility of expanding the promotional programme nationwide.

“I would like to wish the National Dairy Council and the Football Association of Ireland every success with the programme," Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe said. 

"It’s an important and innovative programme which encourages children to drink milk, the nutritional content of which helps to maintain bone and dental health and assists in the prevention of osteoporosis in later years.

"I would encourage schools, school principals and parents to take a fresh look at the School Milk Scheme and I encourage them to try to get involved.”

The School Milk Scheme has operated in Ireland for just over 26 years, making milk available to school children at a discounted price. The number of schools that participate in the programme has more or less remained constant in that time. However, there has been a significant fall off in participation by pupils in the scheme.

The fall off is due to the attraction of newer and heavily advertised products such as soft drinks, isotonic drinks, fruit juices, mineral water etc. In 2003 the Obesity Taskforce report estimated that 37% of Irish children drink fizzy drinks at least once daily in the 10 to 17 age group. 

Newer Irish research tells us that a significant proportion of teenagers do not have adequate calcium intake and that nearly one third of Irish adults (29%) do not consume the basic “three servings of dairy a day” recommended by the Irish Department of Health & Children for health and wellbeing.

The National Dairy Council is now aiming to increase participation in the Irish School Milk Scheme in order to help to combat the gap in dairy consumption - but also to build awareness from childhood, and through the teenage years, of the importance of dairy as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. (Source: National Dairy Council)