Cecilia Keaveney
Ceist:214 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the funding available towards marketing the high quality, grass based nature of agricultural produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9702/99]
Written Answers. - Food and Livestock Marketing.
An Bord Bia was established in 1994 with the statutory function to promote, assist and develop in any manner which the board considers necessary or desirable, the marketing of Irish food and livestock. The board's operational budget for 1999 is just under £21 million with £7.061 million provided by way of grant-in-aid and £6.324 million in EU funds.
An Bord Bia carries out appropriate programmes and activities tailored to the requirements of the different product sectors and the relevant marketing objectives. The programmes and activities undertaken by the board are geared to exploit market opportunities and to help suppliers of Irish food to meet the challenges of an ever more demanding and competitive marketplace. Every opportunity is availed of within this framework to promote Ireland as a source of high quality food from a green and clean environment that maximises natural grass based extensive production systems.
A measure of the success of the board's activities is the fact that exports of food and drink products in 1998 exceeded £5 billion.