asked the Minister for Agriculture if he thinks it is appropriate to take steps to foster co-operation between our larger dairy co-operatives in order to achieve the research and development work necessary to create consumer products and badly needed markets for the Irish dairy industry; and the steps he thinks appropriate in this matter.
Written Answers. - Dairy Industry.
691.
The question of research and development is a matter for the industry itself in the first instance and I understand that proposals to establish an R and D fund are currently under consideration at industry level. Any such fund will have my full support and I would hope also that the industry will avail itself of the generous grant aid which is available from the IDA for the development of R and D facilities and of the advice and expertise which can be provided through agencies such as the Dairy Science Faculty at UCC, An Foras Talúntais and the Microelectronics Applications Centre, Limerick.
692.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and the system of intervention buying on which Ireland depends to a greater extent than her Community partners, he accepts that we must urgently look at ways and means to plan and implement a diversification programme for the Irish dairy industry; and the present position in regard to planning for diversification in the dairy industry.
I accept that there is a need for greater diversification within the Irish dairy industry and indeed throughout the food sector generally. This is also recognised in the recently published national plan Building on Reality, which envisages that in the consideration of applications for industrial grants, “priority will, in future, be given to products involving secondary processing and/or import substitution”.
The question of product diversification is primarily a matter for the industry itself, and I would hope, however, that the industry will avail itself fully of the investment aid towards the diversification of processing facilities which is available from the Industrial Development Authority and in certain circumstances, from the guidance section of FEOGA as well.