asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on the progress made to date since he obtained responsibility for both the food industry and the processing of agricultural goods.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Processing of Agricultural Goods.
27.
The first requirement for a thriving food industry is an adequate supply of top-quality raw materials. Since I took office a major policy aim has been to secure substantially increased and more efficient farm production. In addition to those on-going activities of the Department of Agriculture which are designed to expand and improve agricultural output, the best deal in recent years was secured for Irish farmers in this year's EEC price negotiations. This should help to restore farmers' confidence and encourage them to increase productivity and efficiency, which must be the basis for any food industry. Unfortunately, we did not have the weather to accompany all that.
In March I established an inter-Departmental committee to monitor food imports, to identify those which could be produced at home and to assess why they are being imported. In the light of the detailed information which the committee will produce I will consider what further steps can be taken towards the provision of processing facilities to displace such imports. I have also reappointed the horticultural development group for a three-year period to identify potential areas of development in the horticultural industry and to make recommendations to me on the measures needed to achieve such development as well as on specific programmes and projects.
Careful planning and preparation are, of course, essential for the development of new food processing projects. In this connection continuing advice and assistance are available to promoters from my Department and from the IDA, and substantial grants may moreover be obtained both from the IDA and from FEOGA for new projects.
I accept the Minister is taking the initiative with regard to food imports — that is desirable and is to be lauded — but will he agree that there is a need for co-ordination between his Department, the Department of Industry and Energy, the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism, CTT, the IDA and the Irish Goods Council for the marketing and processing of food?
The monitoring committee I referred to is an inter-Departmental group comprising officials from the Departments referred to by the Deputy.
Most of the information needed is available and has been for some time.
I am afraid not.
We cannot have an argument across the floor of the House.
A lot of the information is available. The Minister referred to the horticultural section of the industry and I should like to say that the number of farmers in that sector in serious financial trouble amounts to a national disgrace because of the high level of imports.
The Deputy should not make a speech.
What can be done about the marketing side of our horticultural industry?
We set up a horticultural development group to study that matter.