Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2013
530. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the number of actions targeted at the agri food sector that were undertaken in 2012 as per the Action Plan for Jobs 2012; if he will name the actions concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2575/13]
View answerThe 2012 Action Plan for Jobs included 17 Actions which have specific reference to the agri-food and fisheries sectors. Details are set out it the following table.
|
No. |
Action |
|
1 |
Promote ‘coopetition’ projects within the food industry, encourage B2B business, facilitate mentoring by larger food companies of smaller companies. |
|
2 |
Ensure completion of industry projects awarded aid under the Dairy, Beef and Sheepmeat Funds and ensure the implementation of a range of additional major company expansion projects approved over the last 24 months. |
|
3 |
Attract graduate talent into marketing roles within the food industry in line with the targets set out in Food Harvest Milestones for the Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship. |
|
4 |
Work closely with the industry to develop their plans to deal with the increasing supply of raw material projected in Food Harvest 2020 and support the development of increased scale and value added processing. |
|
5 |
Drive the technology capability of the industry, and progress the establishment of further industry and thirdlevel research collaborations in the food sector, taking into account the outcome of the National Research Prioritisation Exercise. |
|
6 |
Review the Food for Health Ireland collaborative research centre and develop a plan for future support. |
|
7 |
7 Implement incentives and measures to improve skills, farm structure and scale set out in Budget 2012. |
|
8 |
8 Progress the development/licensing of large scale offshore finfish aquaculture sites in line with the road map set out in Food Harvest 2020 Milestones report. |
|
9 |
Involve more food businesses in the Teagasc Food SME Technology Support Programme which targets start-up companies, growing enterprises and artisan food producers. |
|
10 |
Win additional foreign investment from multinational food companies and assist food multinationals already in Ireland to win more projects. |
|
11 |
Research, map and add to the food incubation space potentially available in industry and State agencies for use by existing and new food entrepreneurs. |
|
12 |
Complete DAFM, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia scoping exercise on the market potential for delivery of new food and nutritional products and models of service to older people. |
|
13 |
Create over new 150 jobs in the seafood sector by 2014 through the expansion of 18 seafood processing companies with investment supported by grant aid from BIM. |
|
14 |
Run a number of business market development ventures, including two significant projects in 2012. |
|
15 |
Achieve Food Harvest 2020 milestone targets for participation in Enterprise Ireland’s Lean services and the Leadership4Growth CEO Programmes for food companies. |
|
16 |
Ensure continued industry participation in the implementation and review of the strategic research agendas (SRA) for food and primary agriculture Food Research Ireland and Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research and Innovation(SSAPRI) |
|
17 |
Fund further collaborative interinstitutional research in line with Food Research Ireland and SSAPRI, to help underpin the sector and deliver the growth targets in Food Harvest. |
All of these actions were progressed by my Department with the active collaboration of the Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc, Bord Bia and BIM. Progress was monitored on an ongoing basis by the Food Harvest 2020 High Level Implementation Committee, which I chair.
