Richard Bruton
Question:36 Mr. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of meetings of the Food Agency Co-Operation Council in 2004 and 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18805/06]
View answerThursday, 18 May 2006
Questions (37)
Written answers
The Food Agency Co-operation Council was established in 2000 under the aegis of my Department to promote the fullest practical co-operation between the State Agencies involved in the food industry, in the interests of the optimum development of the industry. The Council met on 20 occasions between 2000 and 2003. During 2004 and 2005 priority was given instead to meetings of the food development agencies directly concerned with the food programme components of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Two such meetings took place in 2004, one in 2005 and one in 2006 to assess progress on the Plan in preparation for meetings of the NDP Monitoring Committees.
The Food Agency Co-Operation Council has produced a number of publications, which have been well received by the industry. In 2001 the Council was instrumental in the drawing up of a Human Resource Development programme for the food processing industry and produced a publication Market Trends — Implications for Suppliers and State Agency Initiatives. In December 2002, the Council's publication — A National Food Incident Management Plan — was launched. The Market Led New Product Development Guide, launched in April 2003, provides guidance to food and drink companies in relation to New Product Development best practice and this has subsequently been promulgated to County Enterprise Boards. The Council has also played a significant role in increasing co-operation, at formal and informal level, between the state agencies involved in the food industry and this has led to a number of "Memorandums of Understandings" being agreed between agencies.
In the light of a more market orientated CAP, the 2015 Agri-Vision Report and the Enterprise Strategy Report my Department has been examining future co-operation between agencies to most effectively develop the agri-food industry. Arising from this, I have included in the Plan of Action, which I launched to implement the 2015 Agri-Vision Report, the establishment of a high level group of CEOs of food agencies, which will subsume and develop the role of the Council, and also a Food Industry Committee. Both will be chaired at Ministerial level and will ensure a consolidated approach towards the development of the food sector as a whole and identify and address issues impeding the development of the sector.