Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2005
15 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will consider the establishment of an expert group on niche product food production to come up with practical recommendations regarding the best way in which this sector can be promoted in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5812/05]
View answerThe development of the small food production sector is of particular interest to me in the context of my remit as Minister with responsibility for rural development.
In June last year I agreed to fund the appointment of a small food producers co-ordinator to work, under the aegis of Comhar LEADER na hÉireann, with artisan and traditional food producers. The initiative is aimed at identifying barriers inhibiting small food producers, ranging from the scale of the enterprise, access to funding and distribution, marketing and promotion as well as the provision of skills and training and the regulatory environment. Achievements to date under this initiative include completion of a needs analysis with small food producers, Leader groups and agencies supporting the small food sector; holding of regional seminars with Leader groups; liaison with statutory agencies and producer groups to develop areas of co-operation; development of a small food business development training programme, in co-operation with FÁS services, for small businesses in the Cork-Kerry area covering areas such as finance, marketing, development of sales skills, distribution and quality management; completion of guidelines to assist Leader groups in establishing farmers markets and voluntary codes of practice; and compilation of a database of farmers markets; issue of templates and guidelines for the development of regional food guides to Leader groups.
My Department maintains regular contacts with the relevant Government Departments and statutory agencies, such as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Bord Bia. Arising from that, the co-ordinator has recently being appointed as a member of the FSAI artisan forum.
