asked the Taoiseach if he will appoint a Minister with responsibility for food with a brief to stop the disintegration of the food industry as evidenced by the closure of food processing plants throughout the country and the alarming increase in the importation of food products into this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Food Processing Industry.
573.
I am not satisfied that a sufficient case has been made for the appointment of a separate Minister of the Government with responsibility exclusively for food processing.
Deputy Hegarty, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, has already had assigned to him as part of his duties a general oversight of the food processing industry in so far as that forms part of the functional responsibility of the Department of Agriculture.