Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2003

Vol. 571 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.

Jerry Cowley

Ceist:

315 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the details of all working groups, advisory groups, consultancies and so on, established or commissioned by his Department since January 2001; the membership of each; the date expected to report; and if it is planned that the reports be published. [20303/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The information requested by the Deputy is set out as follows:

1. Membership of the food industry sub-committee

Department of Agriculture and Food	Jim Beecher (Chairperson)
Department of Agriculture and Food	Marian Byrne
Department of Finance	Brendan Ellison
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Productive Sector OP)	Maureen Byrne
Shannon Development	Patricia Byrne
IBEC	Ciaran Fitzgerald
ICTU	Gene Mealy, SIPTU
ICOS	Martin Varley
An Bord Bia	John Bracken
Enterprise Ireland	Eddie Hughes
Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly	David Kelly
Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly	Kieran Moylan

The group was established in May 2001 to monitor progress on the food initiatives in the national development plan. It meets twice a year to review progress and any issues arising are fed directly to the productive sector monitoring committee, which is under the auspices of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment.

2(A).Membership of the monitoring committee for the CAP Rural Development Programme 2000-2006.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll (Chair)Mr. Michael CroninMr. Eoin MacGuillMr. Andy McGarrigleMr. Matt SinnottMr. Michael O'Donovan
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources	Mr. Michael PrendergastMr. Gerry Cody
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government	Mr. Tim Morris
Dúchas (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government)	Mr. Alan Craig
Department of Finance	Mr. Brendan Ellison
European Commission	Mr. Piero Mora
Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly	Councillor Jimmy MaloneyMr. Gerry Finn, Director
Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly	Councillor Ned O'SullivanMr. David Kelly
Teagasc	Dr. Jim Frawley
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA)	Mr. Michael Bergin
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA)	Mr. John Enright
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)	Mr. Padraig Gibbons
Macra na Feirme	Mr. Damian McDonald
Irish Timber Growers' Association	Mr. Charles Colthurst,Chairman of the ITGA
Irish Forest Industry Chain	Mr. Gerry Farrell
Comhar	Mr. Ruaidhrí Deasy
Environmental Protection Agency	Dr. Noel Byrne
The Heritage Council	Dr. Liam Lysaght

This committee was established in 2001 to oversee progress under the programme. It does not produce a report.

2 (B).AFCon Management Consultants.These consultants were engaged to carry out a mid-term evaluation of the CAP Rural Development Plan 2002-2006, and will produce their final report at the end of September. While it is not the intention to publish this report, its findings will be available for examination on request.

3.Membership of the expert group established in April 2002 to examine ewe numbers.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Ms Patricia Cannon (Chair) Mr. Liam BurkeMs Sinead Geraghty (Secretary)Ms Morina CarrMr. Eugene DoyleMr. Joe Noonan
Bord Bia	Mr. David Eiffe
CSO	Mr. Tom McMahonMr. Joe Treacy

The purpose of this expert group is to determine whether the number of ewes on which ewe premium is paid is supported by available statistics and to investigate any discrepancies. An internal report was produced in December 2002 which was not published.

4.Membership of the research stimulus fund committee 2000-2006

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Jim Beecher, Chairman
Macra na Feirme	Ms Anne Berg
Ballyroe Co-operative, Cork	Mr. Peter Dinneen
Business Development Consultant	Mr. Sean Donnelly
Irish Farmers Journal	Mr. Andy Doyle
Department of Agriculture and Food	Dr. Michael Gunn
Irish Farmers' Association	Mr. Con Lucey
National Ploughing Association of Ireland	Ms. Anna May McHugh
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Frank O'Donnell
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association	Mr. James O'Donnell
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Kevin Smyth
Irish Countrywomen's' Association	Ms Breda Raggett
Department of Agriculture and Food	Dr. Tom Teehan

This committee was established to select projects for funding under the 2001 call for proposals, to propose priority areas for funding under future calls and to advise the Department generally on the operation of the Fund. All available funding has now been committed and the committee has completed its work. The committee did not issue a report.

5.Membership of the consultative committee on the mid-term review of the Agenda 2000 agreement in the cereals/arable crops sectors.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Jim Beecher, Chairman
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Dan Byrne
Teagasc	Mr. Jim O'Mahoney
Irish Farmers' Association	Mr. Paddy Harrington
Irish Farmers' Association	Mr. Fintan Conway
Irish Grain and Feed Association	Mr. Seamus Funge
Irish Grain and Feed Association	Ms Marian Murphy
Irish Grain and Feed Association	Mr. David Bolger
Irish Grain and Feed Association	Mr. Seamus Gormely
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association	Mr. Brian Oxley
Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society	Mr. Martin Varley
APHA Ltd.	Mr. Declan O'Brien
Trinity College	Professor Alan Matthews

This committee was established to examine EU proposals under the mid-term review for the cereals/arable crops sector and to advise on broad policy options. The committee did not issue a report.

6.Membership of advisory group to examine the introduction of risk management in the Department of Agriculture and Food for the period 2001-2004.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Project team (headed by Bob Semple which includes a senior manager and two assistant managers.)

It is expected that a report will be published in the September / October 2003 period which will be prepared solely for the Department of Agriculture and Food.

7.Seaver Associates, Quality Management Consultants.During 2002, these consultants carried out consultancy work for this Department in connection with obtaining ISO 9000: 2001 status for beef export refunds.

8.Membership of a steering group on farm household income.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Kevin Smyth
Department of Agriculture and Food	Ms Sinead McPhillipsMs Helen Murphy
Department of Agriculture and Food	Ms Wila Bruce
Central Statistics Office	Mr. Kevin McCormack
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Gerry Reilly
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Gerry Brady
Teagasc	Mr. Liam Connolly
Teagasc	Ms Anne Kinsella
Economic and Social Research Institute	Ms Mary Keeney

It is expected that this report will be published later this year.

9.FMD export group.The expert group on foot and mouth disease (FMD) controls was established in early March 2001 to review on an ongoing basis the controls and advice appropriate to dealing with the FMD situation.

9(A).Indecon ConsultantsThese consultants carried out an evaluation of the foot and mouth disease in 2002 on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Food and details appear on its website, www.agriculture.gov.ie

10.Membership of consultative committee on beef policy

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Tom Moran, Chairman
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Philip Carroll
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Pat Johnstone (secretary)
Irish Meat Association	Mr. Cormac Healy
Irish Meat Association	Mr. Michael Behan
An Bord Bia	Mr. Aidan Cotter
Dunnes Stores	Mr. Frank Dunne
Macra na Feirme	Mr. Thomas Honner
Macra na Feirme	Mr. Damien McDonald
Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association	Mr. John Deegan
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association	Mr. Pat O'Rourke

10.Membership of consultative committee on beef policy – con tinued

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association	Mr. John O'Leary
Irish Farmers' Association	Mr. Derek Deane
Irish Farmers' Association	Mr. Kevin Kinsella
Teagasc	Mr. Bernard Smyth
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society Limited	Mr. T. J. Flanagan
Irish Co-operative Organisation Soiety Limited	Mr. Martin Varley
Independent economist	Mr. Brendan Kearney
Irish Business and Employers Confederation	Mr. Ciaran Fitzgerald
Irish Business and Employers Confederation	Mr. Gerry Farrell

This committee was established in July 2002 to assist the Department of Agriculture and Food in assessing options for Ireland in relation to the mid-term review of Agenda 2000 and to advise this Department on emerging policies at both EU and member state level. This Department is under no obligation to publish a report.

11.Farm animal advisory welfare council.

Retired Professor UCG	Professor Patrick Fottrell (Chairman)
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD	Dr. Alison J. Hanlon
Deputy President, ICMSA	Mr. Jackie Cahill
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland	Mr. Liam McKibben
Director, Compassion in World Farming	Ms Mary-Ann Bartlett
Vice Chairman, ICOS	Mr. Tom Doyle
ISPCA	Mrs. Angela McCarthy
Teagasc	Dr. Bernadette Earley
Chairperson Wexford SPCA	Ms Barbara Bent
Veterinary Ireland	Mr. Sean O'Laoide
Veterinary Ireland	Mr. Dermot Sparrow
Committee for Irish Livestock Dealers, Exporters, Hauliers and Shippers	Mr. Stephen Foley
Director of Livestock, IFA	Mr. Kevin Kinsella
Chairman National Animal Health Committee, IFA	Mr. John Stack
Chairman National Livestock Committee, IFA	Mr. Derek Deane
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Aidan Murray
Department of Agriculture and Food	Dr. Martin Blake
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. David Walsh

This council was established to allow representative groups with a variety of perspectives on animal welfare to meet and exchange views, seek consensus on various issues and developments relative to the care of farm animals and generate advice to the Minister.

12.Scientific advisory committee on animal health and welfare

Former Dean of the Veterinary Faculty in UCD	Professor Michael Monaghan, Chairman
Former Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Albert Costelloe
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children	Dr. John Devlin
Teagasc	Dr. Bernadette Early
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Michael Sheridan
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD	Dr. John Griffin
University College Cork	Dr. Colin Hill
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD	Dr. Nolan Leonard
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD	Mr. Paul Mulville
Teagasc	Dr. Kevin O'Farrell
Consumer Protection Division, Food Safety Authority of Ireland	Mr. David Nolan
UCG	Professor Terry Smith
Veterinary Laboratory Service, Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. John Ferris
Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. David Walsh

13.WTO (World Trade Organisation) consultative group.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Bart Brady (Chairman)
Irish Grain and Feed Organisation	Mr. Seamus Funge
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association	Mr. Ciaran Dolan/John Enright
Macra Na Feirme	Mr. Seamus Phelan/James Kelly
Bord Bia	Mr. Padraig Brennan/Paddy Moore
IFA	Mr. Con Lucey/Kevin Kinsella/Fintan Conway
Irish Dairy Board	Ms Anne Randles
IBEC	Mr. William Maher
Irish Meat Association	Mr. Cormac Healy
Teagasc	Mr. Trevor Donnellan
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society	Mr. Martin Varley
Brendan Kearney and Associates	Mr. Brendan Kearney
UCD	Professor Seamus Sheehy
Department of Agriculture and Food	Members of EU Trade Division

This group was established to provide a forum for an exchange of views and information on the WTO negotiations on agriculture to help ensure an optimum Irish input into the negotiations.

14.Consumer liaison panel.

Journalist	Mairead McGuinness (Chairman)
Irish Countrywomen's Association	Breda Raggett
Consumers Association of Ireland	Richard Donohue
Irish Congress of Trade Unions	Jack Nash
Musgraves/Super Valu/Centra	Brendan Davis
Retail Grocery, Dairy and Allied Traders Association	Colette Coughlan
Superquinn	Paula Mee
Tesco Ireland	Belinda Sullivan
Voluntary and Community Sector Platform	Seamus Boland
Press officer, Department of Agriculture and Food	Michael N. Walsh
Department of Agriculture and Food	John Quirke

The consumer liaison panel was established in February 2002 to act as a liaison between the consumer and the Department of Agriculture and Food. It published its first annual report in August 2003.

15.Food labelling group.A food labelling group was established in July 2002. Details of membership are:

Chairman	Ned Sullivan
Department of Agriculture and Food	Jarlath Coleman
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Mary Kearns
Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs	John Nolan
Tesco Ireland	Bill Paterson
Department of Health & Children Food Safety Promotion Board	Gary Kearney
Department of Health & Children	Siobhan McEvoy
Food Safety Authority of Ireland	Ruth Davis
Association of Craft Butchers of Ireland	Pat Brady
IBEC	Fiona Lalor
IBEC	John Matthews
Consumer Association of Ireland	Richard Donoghue
Consumer Liaison Panel	Mairead McGuinness
RGDATA	Marion O'Connell
An Bord Bia	Gerard Brickley
Irish Meat Association	John Smith
IFA	Ned Walsh
ICMSA	Una Gallagher

This group submitted its report to the Minister for Agriculture and Food in December 2002 following which it disbanded.

16.Interdepartmental working group on PRSI for farm spouses.

Department of Agriculture and Food	Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll
Department of Agriculture and Food	Ms Helen Murphy
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs	Mr. Denis Moynihan
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs	Mr. Vincent Long
Office of the Chief Inspector Taxes	Mr. Bob Dowdall
Department of Finance	Mr. Tony Carberry

Arising from the recommendations of the report of the advisory committee on the role of women in agriculture, an inter-departmental working group on PRSI for farm spouses was set up in April 2001 to examine possible approaches to extending PRSI to farm spouses. The group issued a report in February 2002.

17.Dairy sector.

Group / Consultancy	Purpose	Membership Names	Organisation
Mid-term review of Agenda 2000 dairy consultative group	To examine the broad policy options for the dairy sector and to advise on the most appropriate responses to the EU Commission's mid-term review proposals	Tom MoranTom O'DonnellMartin CrowleyBreda RocheJohn DoodyCatherine LascuretteMichael MurphyPat O'RourkeCiaran DolanMartin VarleyDessie BoylanThomas HonnerMichael KeanePat IvoryBilly FingletonNicholas SimmsCecil Buchanan	DAFDAFDAFDAFIFAIFAICMSAICMSAICOSICOSICOSMacraUCCIDIATeagascIDBCadbury

Group / Consultancy	Purpose	Membership Names	Organisation
Strategic review of the dairy processing sector	To contribute to a coherent strategic development plan for the sector, making recommendations on actions to improve efficiency and long-term competitiveness.	Conducted by Prospectus in partnership with Promar International	Report published on 19 March 2003
The steering group of the strategic review of the dairy processing sector	To oversee the strategic review of the dairy processing sector.	James Murphy Gus O'Brien Peter Dineen Dan McSweeney Tom Commins Michael Farrell Denis Lucey Philip Carroll Tom Moran Tom O'Donnell John Keon Joe O'Sullivan Mike Feeney Eddie HughesSeamus MacLoughlinBilly MurphyPat IvoryJohn TyrrellNoel CawleyJerry HoulihanEd PrendergastMichael Cronin Sean McAuliffeNoel HorganVincent GilhawleySeamus O'Beirne	ArrabawnBandonBarryroeCarberyCenteneryConnaught GoldDairygoldDAFDAFDAFGlenveaghDrinaghEnterprise IrelandEnterprise IrelandEnterprise IrelandGlanbiaIDIAICOSIrish Dairy BoardKerry GroupLakeland Dairies Co-operative Society LtdNewmarketNorth Cork Co-operative Creameries LtdTipperary Co-operative Creamery LtdTown of Monaghan Co-operativeWexford