Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Apr 2000

Vol. 517 No. 3

Written Answers. - Pigmeat Sector.

Mary Coughlan

Question:

57 Ms Coughlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the joint study between his Department and its counterpart in Northern Ireland to assess the processing capacity for pigmeat will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9719/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

I initiated a consultancy study of the pigmeat sector and following discussions with the Northern Ireland authorities it was agreed that this should cover the island as a whole. The study is being co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland along with its Northern Ireland counterpart with involvement from my own Department and the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture.

Apart from the capacity issue the scope of the study has been widened to include an evaluation of the pig production outlook for Ireland in the context of the European situation, the market potential for the sector, the question of import substitution and the investment needs of the sector.

Presentations have been made by a number of consultancy firms and the selection of the successful firm is expected to be finalised this week. Once the contract is signed, work on the study will begin immediately and is expected to be completed within three months.