Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In case people might get the impression I am anti-vegetable, I am not. However, one of the things I have noticed because I am very conscious of these things, despite what people might think, is that a vegetable carries a certain taste and sometimes in the cooking, that taste is altered. That does not do anything for anybody, I can tell you. Perhaps I am odd but I certainly like the original taste of the vegetable concerned. I am not changed around by somebody adding something to it, which changes it around, and telling us that is what everybody likes nowadays. I do not think that contributes at all.

We are supposed to enjoy our food. That is no harm. I mentioned that I went on a strict diet once upon a time and it became really boring after a while. That is defeating the purpose of it so we have to try something else. I emphasise the need for smaller portions. It works.