Mr. Shane Dempsey:

Senator van Turnhout asked what we can do and are doing in a tangible sense. Behind the reformulation statistics I quoted are millions of euro over the course of four or five years. For example, over five years confectionery companies removed 35 tonnes of saturated fat from the Irish diet. That took five years of research and more than 40,000 man hours. Each of us on this side of the room is actively making contributions but our contributions are fragmented. Even within the food industry each company is pursuing a different way to make a contribution. That is why we talk about a whole-of-society approach. To do the right thing, all the players must make a contribution.

There is probably a case to be made for more co-ordination. In my view, the tangible results of this action would be if it forced us to knock our heads together and, in conjunction with political leaders, come up with the strategy - the whole-society response. The quicker we do that, the better. The longer we leave it, the greater will be the future impact. The Senator also said the good companies, so to speak, will sign up.