Dr. Mary Flynn:

The research has shown that such a move would have an immediate reaction for 15% of consumers, but for the remainder it will not. However, for the first time this will affect the others because the industry would be allowed to produce portion sizes that are smaller without being called greedy and without a consumer wondering why she is not getting a massive portion although she has paid good money. That has been the problem. With calorie posting one can create demand for the healthier option around something other than price.

There are many ways it can have these effects. The problem is the cost. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is trying to come up with a solution involving an easy-to-use computer programme and establishing a related training programme that restaurateurs could use. The plan is to embed it in the colleges which are training catering students. That is a long-term plan but it is the only way to do it. The larger operations can do it now and they should do it immediately.

RTE carried out a vox pop on the back of this and some people were asked how many calories they needed in a day. Some grown men thought they only needed 50 calories. We need to raise awareness and the only way we can do so is through such initiatives and by showing innovation. We need to catch something that hooks the imagination and follow it through. We should not blame the small restaurant owners who are hanging on by their fingernails for not putting calories on menus. We need to find solutions that will help them, and that is what we are working towards.