Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 3

Written Answers. - Beef Sector.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

49 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the steps being taken to meet the commitment given in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness regarding the need for an adequately funded marketing and promotion programme for Irish beef; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28444/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

In the context of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the Government accepted the need to have an adequately funded marketing and promotion programme for Irish beef.

State financing of the promotion and marketing of agricultural products is subject to EU constraints on State aids, which impose strict limitations on the extent to which State funding can be used to promote these products on the basis of national origin. In view of these constraints, the bulk of any additional funds for an enhanced marketing and promotion programme will have to be provided by the industry itself through the establishment of a voluntary promotion fund. Substantial progress has been made on this issue within the monitoring committee on the beef task force which I set up under the aegis of Bord Bia, but this was put on hold following the dispute between the meat factories and the beef producers last January. Following the recent publication of the report on competition in the beef Sector, my Department has again raised the issue with the industry with a view to progressing the establishment of a voluntary promotion fund. My Department intends to pursue this issue with the industry, particularly with a view to re-establishing Irish beef on the European market following the current difficulties.

The grant-in-aid for An Bord Bia is being increased by 31 per cent to £13.28 million for 2001.