Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 Dec 1984

Vol. 354 No. 7

Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Bill, 1984: Second Stage (Resumed).

Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Mr. Noonan

(Limerick West): This Bill will enable the Minister to introduce regulations for the proper grading and packaging of potatoes. I would ask him to ensure that this new system starts smoothly. Every possible advice should be made available by ACOT and there must be close working arrangements between the officers of the Department and the ACOT advisers. The advisory programme must focus on two major shortcomings at consumer level, mechanical damage to potatoes and disease of potatoes. I hope the Minister will give the House some indication of the regulations to be introduced under section 5.

The Minister referred to potato co-ops. I hope such organisations will receive positive support from the Minister and that grants will be made available through FEOGA for the promotion of those co-ops. The Government should make the necessary funds available to such groups on a pound for pound basis. It does not seem likely that that will happen because an enormous amount of money has been left unclaimed by the Government in Brussels. I accept that the Minister of State is concerned about the promotion of the potato industry and the setting up of co-ops and I hope he will ensure that the necessary funds are made available.

The Minister told us that the Bill provides for a system of registration of all who grow and pack potatoes for sale. He went on to point out that in future it will be illegal to sell potatoes other than those grown or packed by registered growers and packers. How does the Minister propose to ensure that potatoes will come from a registered grower and are packed by a registered packer? I presume that grading standards will be laid down by the Department but, in the event of a dispute between the official of the Department and the farmer, who will arbitrate?

It is important that we ensure that unregistered growers do not have an opportunity to sell potatoes through a registered packer. We are concerned at the size of the fine to be imposed. Under section 8 the maximum fine is £1,000 and on Committee State we will consider putting forward an amendment to reduce that amount. The amount of the fine is excessive. We hope to be able to strengthen some of the provisions by the addition of amendments. It is important that growers are organised. In addition it is necessary to integrate the other main agencies concerned in the industry. If the horticultural industry is to achieve its full potential we must ensure that it has the home market within its grasp. The home market, unfortunately, is slipping away from native producers. In order to achieve full potential the industry must be in a position to export. Success in that area will leave it in a strong position to withstand any further assaults on our home market. Our competitors are getting stronger daily and adopting more sophisticated marketing techniques. A united and integrated approach by all concerned is needed to put the Irish potato industry into a prominent position on the home and export markets.

Mrs. A Doyle

I am somewhat disappointed that an important debate like this should be held at this stage of the evening and that the time allotted to speakers should be curtailed. For too long issues of national importance such as this have been relegated to a time when their importance is not sufficiently underlined. The potato has been grown here for more than 350 years and it has had a profound effect on the history of the Irish economy starting with the social effect of the failure of the crop due to disease in the 1840s up to today. As a result of its effect and influence over the years we could be forgiven for assuming that the potato crop has an importance in Irish agriculture. That is not so. The Irish potato sector has declined in comparison to other countries, notably Holland, France and the UK.

Since the thirties many pieces of legislation concerning the potato have been debated here. In fact, more than 19 different pieces of legislation were dealt with and umpteen committees met and discussed it. As long ago as 12 December 1934 the House discussed a motion suggesting that a tribunal be established to inquire into certain definite matters of urgent public importance. Matters affecting the potato industry were considered urgent more than 50 years ago but 50 years down the road we are still discussing issues relating to it. I obtained that information from the Fruit and Vegetable Tribunal, Statutory Rules and Orders, 1935.

Despite all the legislation impinging on the potato industry over the years there appears to have been an inherent difficulty in implementing the legislation, in policing it and ensuring that it was enforced. The potato production sector has not been developed to supply consistently ware potatoes or the needs of the processing sector. The principal main crops grown here have traditionally been Kerrs Pinks, Records and Golden Wonders. We have the highest consumption in Europe at 110 Kilograms per head per year but our production has fallen from 136,000 hectares in 1940 to 45,000 hectares in 1980. Thankfully, the Government in the last 12 months have recognised the problem and there have been significant developments in relation to the organisation of the industry. Farmers were literally dumping their potatoes into the sea because they did not have any other outlet. Producers have organised themselves on a county basis and a national organisation, the Irish Potato Farmers' Society, was registered. That was done in conjunction with the IFA and the ICOS. I understand that 12 co-ops are now in existence and a thirteenth is imminent in Carlow. As the Minister told us last week, FEOGA grants are available for groups or co-ops who come together to organise the marketing and processing of potatoes. That cannot be too strongly encouraged. I understand that moves are afoot in many areas to bring such processing and marketing plants to fruition. Those concerned are to be commended.

The Bill tackles some of the major difficulties in the supply of potatoes here. It is tragic to think that in a country that is synonymous with the potato we import rather than export them. I understand that one in four potatoes consumed here last year was imported. In fact, our dependence on imports has risen twentyfold since 1978. In 1978 only 4,000 tonnes of potatoes were imported.

Debate adjourned.