Vol. 426 No. 7
22 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, taken to date in co-operation with the Department of Tourism and Trade to implement the commitment to place more Irish sales people in the field to increase exports of sales of Irish goods.
The sale of Irish goods abroad is primarily a matter for individual firms. Within my area of responsibility, my Department provides funds to CBF to back up the marketing efforts of firms engaged in export of beef, pigmeat and lamb, through a wide range of promotion and market development activities carried out largely by its staff abroad. I am confident that CBF will be in a position to expand these services as necessary to intensify its activities in support of private firms in the years ahead.
In addition, support by the development agencies to individual firms in the food sector as elsewhere is made conditional, in appropriate cases, on the existence of relevant export marketing arrangements set up by the firms.
