James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This issue requires a cross-departmental approach. This is the first Government to appoint somebody at the level of principal officer across health, education and children to promote this issue and awareness. All help and support is gratefully accepted and we will facilitate the Deputy with any suggestions he might have on how we can progress this.

On Deputy Ó Caoláin's question, we are monitoring the situation. There is an appetite among many of the businesses to become engaged in this. Part of the problem earlier was that they, even the Dáil restaurant, were a little concerned about whether they would be in trouble if there were not exactly 65 calories in the sandwich. That is not what we are trying to achieve. We want people to be aware of the general level of calories in a product. I am aware of an instance of somebody going to a coffee bar, reaching out for a bun but putting it back when they saw that it contained 400 calories. That is what we want. It is not about a nanny state, but we want people to be informed. They have a right to know. What they do with the knowledge thereafter is entirely a matter for themselves.

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