Protest has not daunted food chain

Ennis town would still have "obesity issues" even if McDonald's did not locate a restaurant there, a spokesman for the company said.

McDonald's yesterday said it intends to press ahead with plans for a new fast-food restaurant in Ennis despite objections from the Mid-Western Health Board. It also has plans for a further five outlets in the State this year.

The health board has lodged the objection with Ennis Town Council on the grounds that the McDonald's product, and the way it was advertised, clashed with official health policy to reduce obesity in Ireland.

Dr Anne Griffin and Audrey Lyons, community dieticians with the board, have asked McDonald's to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to determine what effect the fast-food restaurant will have on the health of children in Ennis, before the town council considers the application.

The director of operations of McDonald's Ireland, Mr Will Cooke, said the company would "co-operate fully" with the local authority, if it decides that an EPA is necessary, but that it intends to go ahead with its plans in Ennis and elsewhere in the State.

"The objection will not discourage McDonald's from expanding in Ireland."

He was surprised by the board's objection he said, as McDonald's could be part of a balanced healthy lifestyle.

"Everyone is entitled to object, but we still believe in people's right to a choice. McDonald's is an easy target when you're talking about health and obesity issues, but if there was no McDonald's in Ennis, there would still be obesity issues there."

Ireland was a "very successful market" for McDonald's, he said and there were a lot of opportunities for expansion. "In Australia there is one McDonald's for every 26,000 people, in Ireland it's just one for every 50,000 at the moment."

Currently there are 68 McDonald's fast-food restaurants in Ireland. Two are being built, one in Ashbourne and one in Middleton. Outlets for Ennis, Dungarvan and Citywest are planned for this year and the company intends to open an outlet in Dundrum Shopping Centre in 2005. A number of sites are being reviewed for the future.

A spokeswoman for the South Eastern Health Board said it had not objected to the Dungarvan restaurant and "has no plans at present to become involved in the planning process". However, she said it was the board's policy "to encourage the practices of healthy eating and associated lifestyle among the communities we serve".

The Southern Health Board said it had received "no notification" of the opening of the Middleton branch and had not lodged an objection.

The Department of Health is launching its taskforce on obesity in the coming weeks, a spokeswoman said, but it did not have a policy on objections to new fast-food outlets. "We would encourage healthy eating, but wouldn't target any particular outlet."