Seanad debates
Wednesday, 2 July 2003
Common Agricultural Policy: Statements.
Let me just go back to something I said earlier about opportunities. Senator Mary Henry is not able to be here this afternoon but she spoke to me earlier this morning on this. She quoted the New England Journal of Medicine, which she holds in high regard. She talked about an article she had read in it and pointed out the clout that the low-fat lobby, a lovely term, has managed to achieve on the supermarket shelves and right around the world by arguing that low-fat is the thing to go for, that it is the healthy alternative. According to this article which Senator Henry pointed out to me, the real healthy alternative is low carbohydrates. That is an opportunity for the dairy industry. Those who see their future in the dairy industry in Ireland should recognise that this is the real health story – not low fat but low carbohydrates. If we can manage to get that message across it is an opportunity for us in Ireland to produce products that will reach supermarket shelves not just in Europe but around the world. We have the opportunity to do that.
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