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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 3

Written Answers. - Organic Sector.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

157 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will await the findings of the Organic Development Committee before implementing changes in the organic sector. [28512/00]

The Organic Development Committee has a specific remit outlined in its terms of reference, which states:

to recommend a coherent development strategy to achieve expansion in production, processing and marketing of Irish organic produce and to secure an increased share of the growing national and export markets; and to consider the broad actions necessary for the most advantageous long-term future development of the Irish organic sector while protecting its integrity.

Matters which are not within the remit of the Organic Development Committee are being dealt with separately.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

158 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans he has to accept the agreed common standard for organic certification as a national standard for Ireland. [28513/00]

My Department, which is the competent authority for the organic sector under EU regulation, has the function of setting national standards for organic produce. The three private organic farming bodies, which have held approval to inspect the organic crop sector on behalf of my Department, proposed an "agreed common standard". My Department indicated that it intended to set national standards in line with the framework set down in the EU regulations. Initially there was some confusion about how those standards would apply in practice. The three private organic farming bodies outlined a number of main points to me on which, in their view, their agreed standard differed from the EU Regulations. I have been able to give them assurances about a number of these and the others – animal housing, poultry numbers and withdrawal periods – are to be considered by a sub-group of the Organic Development Committee established following the AgriFood 2010 report. Interested parties will be able to make submissions to the sub-group which in turn will make a report to the main committee.

It is my intention that the national standard will provide every reassurance to retailers and consumers as to the quality and integrity of Irish organic produce, without compromising the competitiveness of Irish organic producers. My objective is to ensure the continuing growth of the organic sector as part of mainstream farming in Ireland.

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