Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children
Tackling Obesity: Discussion with Operation Transformation
9:55 am
Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the experts Dr. Murphy, Dr. Orsmond and Mr. Henry. I also congratulate the five participants for doing such a fantastic job. When I saw them earlier I could not believe that they were the five participants because they look fantastic. They have put in an unbelievable effort. As a sportsperson I realise how hard it is to keep oneself fit and to exercise right. I have nothing but admiration for the five participants. The most important thing is that they realised that they had a problem and wanted to solve it. The participants trusted the three experts and I have learned a lot from them. I thought that I knew a lot about food and drink but now I realise that I did not. I have learned a lot from the experts. I would be the first person to put my hand up to say that I admire all of them.
My philosophy is that exercise should not be a chore but a habit. Every morning when I leave my house my wife gives me my sports bag and if I get an opportunity during the day I do some exercise.