Restaurateur urges Reilly to lace up for race challenge
Paul Treyvaud has been outspoken in his opposition to the demand that all menus must include detailed information on the exact number of calories in each dish.
However, Dr Reilly is standing firm and has warned those involved in the food business that do not adhere to his request that they will face costly legal proceedings.
Mr Treyvaud, who owns a restaurant in Killarney, Co Kerry, has proposed a winner-takes-all solution and invited the minister to rise to the challenge.
“To promote healthy living, I am going to invite him to take me on in a public sprint at a time and venue of his choosing,” he said.
“If the minister beats me, I will voluntarily put a calorie count on my menu and advise all my colleagues in the trade to do the same immediately.
“But if I win, then the minister must shelve his hair-brained idea once and for all.”
He said the race would be over 86.4m rather than 100m which would ensure that the winner would be setting a new world record.
“At the very least it will serve to promote the importance of exercise. Neither of us could claim to be the fittest person on Earth but I’m up for the challenge if he is and let the best man win,” said the restaurateur, who dismissed the calorie count proposal as smoke screen to take the focus off the obesity epidemic.
“The Government doesn’t have the bottle to confront the massive drug companies pumping chemicals and dangerous substances into processed foods to extend the shelf life.
“Instead they are going to get petty about calorie counts but they will destroy an industry that’s already on its knees.”
Mr Treyvaud said if the minister accepted his challenge, it would put the focus firmly on obesity and it would highlight a problem that needed to be addressed.
“I’m on my marks, set and ready to go. It’s now over to Minister Reilly to put his body where his mouth is.”
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