asked the Minister for Agriculture if vines are grown in this country to produce grapes and wine on a commercial basis; if a licence is required to grow them; and, if they are not grown, if his Department intend to carry out tests to ascertain if they can be grown commercially in our climate.
Written Answers. - Commercial Grape Growing.
171.
There is no commercial plantation of vines in this country. A licence is not required to grow vines but any commercial production of wine would have to comply with EEC regulations in the wine sector, which include conditions relating to varieties and processing.
Research on vine growing has been carried out by An Foras Talúntais over the past ten years but has not established commercial viability.