Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
1406. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the membership and role of all Brexit related stakeholder engagement groups working with his Department on Brexit issues; the number of times each stakeholder group has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38846/17]
View answerShortly after the UK Referendum result I established a Consultative Committee of Stakeholders, formalising a consultation process that had in fact been commenced some months in advance of the UK referendum. Its purpose has been to assist myself and my Department in assessing the potential impact of Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors and in considering possible responses, and more generally to ensure a full exchange of information between all parties in advance of, and during, the negotiations.
The Committee, which consists of 31 different stakeholder groups (listed below), had its initial meeting in early July 2016, and to date has met four times, most recently on 19 July 2017. It has been complemented by the participation of all of these stakeholders in the All-Island Civic Dialogue process, in respect of which I have hosted four separate sectorial dialogues for the agri-food sector and two further dialogues for the fisheries sector since December 2016.
In addition to these interactions, my Department is also chairing the Agri-Food Sub-Group of the Brexit Economy and Trade Work Group, which in turn is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach in the context of its cross-governmental coordination of the response to Brexit. The Agri-Food Sub-Group considers input from the relevant Departments and State Agencies.
All of these consultations are helping to further inform my approach and that of my Department to the challenges presented by Brexit for the agri-food and fisheries sectors, and will continue to play a vital role in this regard.
List of participants on the Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee:
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Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA) |
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Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA |
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Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) |
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Macra na Feirme |
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Irish Dairy Industries Association (IDIA) |
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ORNUA |
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Meat Industry Ireland (MII) |
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Irish Egg Producers |
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Commercial Mushroom Producers |
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Alcoholic Beverage Federation |
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Food and Drink Industry Ireland |
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Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) |
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Irish Grain Feeders Association (IGFA) |
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Horse Sport Ireland |
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Horse Racing Ireland |
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Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA) |
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Irish Greyhound Board |
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Coillte |
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Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association (IFFPA) |
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Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation (ISWFPO |
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Irish Fish Processors & Exporters’ Association (IFPEA |
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IFPO – Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) |
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Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) |
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National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) |
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Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation |
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Bord Bia |
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Teagasc |
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Bord Iascaigh Mhara |
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Enterprise Ireland |
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SIPTU |
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Dept. of the Taoiseach |
