Bernard Durkan
Question:862. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to encourage the seed potato industry in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42071/20]
View answerTuesday, 8 December 2020
Questions (862)
Written answers
Under EU legislation, Ireland is one of a small number of areas within the EU officially recognized as a High-Grade Seed Area to produce seed potatoes. This is because the country is free from a number of significant potato diseases that occur in other member states.
My Department continues to support the Irish Seed potato sector by providing significant funding to Teagasc who carry out a very successful potato breeding programme in Oakpark. My Department further supports the seed potato sector through the production of High Grade seed material in the Tops potato facility in Donegal where capacity will be expanded in 2021. In addition DAFM has a nationwide seed certification team to ensure the production of high-grade seed with the capacity to deliver on additional acreage and the laboratory capacity required underpinning that certification process. The certification scheme includes a programme of soil and tuber sampling and testing for pest and disease control. This high quality disease-free seed is made available to the industry for further multiplication and supply to commercial growers and for export.
I am firmly of the view that post-Brexit there will be significant opportunities to increase the production and supply of Irish grown seed potatoes to replace UK imports. My Department has engaged directly with industry and other stakeholders in raising awareness around the potential implications and opportunities inherent in any prohibition on the importation of seed potatoes from Great Britain from 1 January.