The counts will be added to menus in Government buildings over the coming months.

The decision was made after Minister of Health Dr. James Reilly TD presented research to the Committee illustrating the benefits of including calorie counts on menus.

Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central Jerry Buttimer has welcomed the initiative. "This is a very welcome move by the Committee to include the amount of calories on food sold in Dáil Éireann” Buttimer said. “I believe that people should be aware of how many calories they are consuming in a bid to get to grips with the obesity epidemic and live healthier lives... As public representatives, we must lead by example.”

Voluntary implementation

Minister Reilly has moved to have all eating and drinking establishments in Ireland display calorie counts following the publication of a report on the issue by the Food Safety Authority in July 2012. Reilly has written to pubs, restaurants and other food & drink institutions to promote the inclusion of calorie counts on menus. While there is currently no legal obligation to do so, Reilly has suggested legislation making it compulsory if eateries fail to implement the changes voluntarily.

Research has shown the inclusion of calorie counts can help fight obesity by encouraging people to choose healthier options. According to Buttimer “a US study in 2011, found that the consumers who reported using the calorie information provided, purchased 106 fewer calories on average, compared with those who reported not using the information”.

However many businesses have rejected the implementation of calorie counters for various reasons. Irish Health reported that mandatory calorie counts would potentially cost Irish restaurants and bars an estimated €5,000 – €10,000 each in training, measurement of calories and reprinting of menus & displays, with the high costs perhaps even leading to job losses.  The Irish Health report cites a study by the British Harvester chain of restaurants that found “diners eat just 25 fewer calories per meal, or just 2% less when given nutritional information.”