asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the current proposals regarding funding, staffing and staff numbers, grant-in-aid and the commercial and marketing criteria for the National Food Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Food Centre.
39.
The National Food Centre is to be operated as an integral part of the amalgamated AFT-ACOT joint research, training and advisory authority, the legislation for which is being introduced shortly. The funding, staffing and other operating aspects for the food centre are matters for decision by AFT and later by the new body. In line with the Government's intentions for the food industry in general and for the new body in particular, the food centre will be operated on market-led commercial criteria. In the 1988 Estimates, under grants for the IIRS, provision has been made for the staff engaged in food research and development proposed to be transferred to the new authority. The technical details of the move are currently being finalised with the organisations concerned.
I welcome the Minister's statement and arising from his reply, which I find unsatisfactory because he does not have the information I require, could I ask him if the original provision of £3 million, half of which will be earned by fees, will still be available to the National Food Centre in view of the position arising from the Book of Estimates?
Could I also ask him if the original decision of last May that there will be 16 IIRS staff and 30 AFT staff, which gives a total of 46, will make up the staff of the National Food Centre? In view of the take-up of redundancy in the AFT area can the Minister indicate whether this original package, as indicated in May is still viable? There are no guidelines set down for the National Food Centre and it is very important that the commercial market orientation, originally seen and as agreed to by the AFT-IIRS boards would continue to be the basis of the criteria laid down for this new body. I want to ask the Minister if that is so and if he is aware that it was on this basis that both the staff and boards involved in the original organisations agreed to the May proposal.
In July of this year agreement in principle was reached between An Foras Talúntais and the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards on the establishment of a National Food Centre at Dunsinea. The centre will integrate the research and development food programmes of both organisations and this should result in an improved range of cost-effective services being made available to the food industry. The detailed administration of the centre, including funding, staffing and operation, is a matter for decision by the new joint authority. Some of the organisational details, including funding, involving the transfer to the new body of relevant IIRS staff engaged in food research and development are presently being worked out between the Department of Agriculture and Food, the two organisations concerned and the Department of Industry and Commerce. In the Bill, as published today, food is a specific priority area for the new authority.
I do not blame the Minister for missing some of my questions. Can he confirm that the commercial marketing orientation of the new National Food Centre will be as was earlier indicated? I am sure the Minister is aware that there is a fear that it will move away from the value-added area to the commodity research-type area.
The new food centre will service the technical and marketing needs of the commercial industry and will provide technological consultancy services, sub-contracting of technological expertise, particularly to small firms, and expert advice on franchise and licensing arrangements to firms throughout the country. It is envisaged that commercial scale testing of new food products will be conducted either at the centre or in the factories of smaller firms who do not have in-house R & D facilities. The graduates at the centre will go out to the factories and do their research and development work on the production line. This will provide a stimulus towards innovation, adaptation and improved efficiency within the industry, so there will be no question of the new centre spending a great deal of their time on basic and sometimes irrevelant research work. It will have a totally commercial focus.
Can I ask the Minister when the National Food Centre will be set up? We have the legislation which will make it possible and can the Minister say what timescale is envisaged before it is moving?
As I said in my earlier reply to the Deputy, the negotiations are in the final stages and the Bill to establish the new joint authority is expected to come before the House probably in February next year.
That disposes of ordinary questions and Priority Questions for today.
Could I raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the European currency money for farmers?
I will communicate with the Deputy.