Vol. 564 No. 3
46 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the extent to which he expects research and development will play a part in the agricultural sector in the future; the resources likely to be deployed in this area, in view of the need to ensure competitiveness on the home and international markets; his plans to develop the industry along particular lines; his proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9207/03]
I am most conscious of the role that research and development plays in the continued development of agriculture. To this end my Department directly administers the research stimulus fund and the food institutional research measure. Public funding is also provided to the university sector for research in agriculture and food. In addition, my Department also maintains farms and laboratories, which carry out research and trials relating to animal and crop production and food safety. Funding is provided to Teagasc for its research, extension and education services. The Teagasc extension services play a crucial role in the adoption of the results of research into farm practice. In a similar manner, the results of food research carried out under FIRM are made available to industry through the RELAY dissemination project.
However, public good research will not on its own drive an economically viable and competitive agri-food industry. In the food area companies themselves also need to be involved. Sales and profitability are positively linked to in-company research. Competitiveness is an important issue for Irish agriculture. While many farming sectors are subject to some form of quantitative restrictions on output there is a very strong need to focus on yielding the maximum possible returns from the marketplace. It is for these reasons that work in the area of competitiveness and productivity is particularly important. A study by Professor Gerry Boyle, The Competitiveness of Irish Agriculture, was initiated under the research stimulus fund to improve our understanding in this area. I am also looking forward to other work on competitiveness that has been commissioned from Teagasc and from Professor Alan Matthews of Trinity College Dublin.
As to the future of the sector, I established the high level independent Agri-Food 2010 committee in June 1999 to propose a strategy for the development of the Irish agriculture and food sectors. In August 2000, the Agri-Food 2010 plan of action was published setting out the Government's response to the committee's report. The measures in the plan of action responded to the issues raised in the Agri-Food 2010 report in a comprehensive and programmatic way. Over 90% of the action points have either been completed or have seen substantial action taken. Further monitoring of these action points will be carried out in future as laid out in the Department's statement of strategy.
47 Mr. English asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has sought an increase in export refunds on beef exports to Russia; if he has made direct contact with Commissioner Fischler regarding this issue and in his view taken account of the 20% devaluation in the value of the dollar against the euro; the level of a refund increase required to boost beef exports to the Russian market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9069/03]
I have had the matter of an increase in export refunds for beef exports to Russia to compensate for the dollar decline against the euro raised at EU level recently. The EU Commission, while keeping the matter under review, was not disposed to increasing the refund at present because of the current level of buoyancy in the beef trade. In particular it was pointed out that applications for export licences remains strong, reflecting industry's capacity to export at current refund rates.
