Written Answers Nos. 180-186
180. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on Irish agricultural and seafood trade with China; if he will provide an overview of the April 2012 trade mission to China that he led; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48906/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraChina is a key strategic trade partner for Ireland and has a strong demand for imports of quality food, given the size of its population and concerns over food security and safety. Ireland is strategically placed to be a key supplier of quality meats, dairy products, beverages, seafood and other products and services to China. In 2011, Ireland exported €244 million of these products to China. In the first six months of this year, Ireland has exported €181 million in dairy products, pigmeat, seafood, beverages and other agri-related products to China. This is a 39% increase on the same period last year, at which time we had exported €130 million. Total exports of Irish seafood to China in 2011 were €2.9 million, but the latest data up to July 2012 shows exports of seafood at €5.3 million, representing an 80% increase on 2011. This dramatic increase demonstrates the new business relationships Ireland has developed with key Chinese buyers.
Last April I lead the largest ever Irish agrifood trade delegation to China, with representatives from the meat, dairy, seafood, beverages, bloodstock and agriservices sectors and government bodies. The trade delegation which my Department, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland brought together, comprised of a total of 51 Irish companies and 127 individual. This was in addition to Government agencies such as Teagasc, BIM, the Marine Institute, the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and leading universities involved in the provision of educational courses in food safety and agricultural science.
During the trade mission, a memorandum of uUnderstanding, MOU, between my Department and the Chinese Inspection and Quarantine Service, AQSIQ, on (i) sanitary and phyto sanitary issues, including provision for the establishment of a joint working group on SPS issues, b) the export of horse feed to China, and c) renewal of the bovine semen protocol was concluded. The MOU between my Department and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture on mutual cooperation in the agri-food and fisheries areas was also renewed and a new MOU was signed between the Marine Institute and the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; this MOU builds on research work between the two institutions, facilitated by the action plan which I agreed with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture in May 2011 on Mutual Cooperation.
In addition, some significant commercial outcomes were also achieved during the visit including the announcement of a $50 million project involving an Irish company in a joint venture in establishing a major Chinese equine facility; market access and conclusion of a contract by an Irish company for the supply of horsefeed to China, the first foreign company to gain such a contract; the signing of agreements between BIM and eight Irish seafood companies to supply China with commercial samples of boar fish to China; the conclusion of an agreement by an Irish dairy company on an increased volume of dairy and nutritional ingredients to be supplied to the Chinese market and the launch of a range of Irish dairy products on the Chinese market.
Meeting were also held with a range of number of Chinese food companies which have lead to increased business opportunities and in one case a significant partnership agreement in terms of the supply of infant formula has since been concluded.
Since my visit there have been a number of follow on visits to Ireland by Chinese Ministers including Vice Minister Gao Hongbin of the Ministry of Agriculture with responsibility for animal husbandry and veterinary controls, who visited in May and Vice Minister Wei Chuanzhong of AQSIQ who visited in June. This latter visit resulted in the signing of Protocols on the direct export of horses from Ireland to China and on the export of fresh porcine semen to China. In addition, an MOU was concluded on the setting up of a technical working group on BSE, for market access for Irish beef. That working group has now been established.
The Mayor of Nanjing, Ji Jianye, who I met when in China also made a visit to Ireland in August, and was accompanied by one of the world’s largest pigmeat processors. There have also been follow up visits in relation to the purchase of thoroughbred horses. In relation to the seafood sector, trade in boarfish with China has commenced and opportunities for developing this trade are being assessed.
At government agency level, the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science made a return visit in July of 2012 to investigate research possibilities with the Marine Institute. The areas of aquaculture and fisheries technology and sea food safety were of particular interest, and the group were shown the Institute’s research activities in bio-toxin chemistry, fish stock assessment, micro-tagging of hatchery juvenile fish and fish genetics. Continuing collaboration is currently being scheduled. In October AQSIQ visited the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency.
Following from the Irish/Sino Forum on Building a Safe and Sustainable Future of Food Production, which took place during my visit to China, Teagasc and the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences are now developing a memorandum of understanding which it is envisaged will lead to collaborative research between both Institutes.
While all these developments have led to greater cooperation and the deepening of relationships and trust at Ministerial, official and business level, which is crucial to trade in China, the evidence of the importance of this relationship to the Irish agrifood and seafood sector is reflected in the trade statistics and the continuing growth in our exports to China.
Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome of my trade visit to China and the very important follow up in terms of return visits by Ministers and industry, the growing collaboration between government agencies in areas of research and mutual cooperation and the tangible commercial outcomes. I would anticipate that our agri-food and seafood exports to China will continue to grow.
181. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a suckler cow grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will issue; the reason for the delay in processing this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48915/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn error identified with the application concerned has now been resolved and payment will issue in the near future to the applicant.
182. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the planned development of certified organic salmon production units at deep sea sites off the Irish coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48997/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraBord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, has submitted an application for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oírr in Galway Bay. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement is currently being considered in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act.
My Department has also issued a site investigation licence to BIM in respect of potential sites off the Mayo coast.
I also understand that BIM is currently engaged in preliminary work with a view to a possible application for a Site Investigation Licence for an area off the coast of Donegal.
183. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to promote farmers’ markets, in each rural town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49018/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraPromotion of farmers markets is primarily a matter for local authorities to whom responsibility for the granting of casual trading licences in public places is provided for under the Casual Trading Act, 1995.
In order to promote awareness of the market opportunities that farmers markets can offer to small producers my Department and Bord Bia drafted a voluntary code of good practice for farmers’ markets, which was launched in June 2009. Some 36 markets are currently entitled to display the good practice banner and they are identified by the symbol on the listing of farmers’ markets on Bord Bia’s website (www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/farmersmarkets ). The criteria for the Good Practice Code are set out on my Department’s website: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agri-foodindustry/farmersmarkets and on the Bord Bia website, which also includes a useful Guide to selling through farmers markets, farm shops and box schemes in Ireland.
184. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the research he is conducting on the means by which honey bees are exposed to agricultural pesticides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49021/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo date the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has not commissioned any research directly into the exposure of Irish honeybees to pesticides. However since 2008 Ireland has participated in the COLOSS Research Network which is investigating possible causes of honeybee colony mortality worldwide. This network involves a collaboration of researchers from over 50 countries using standardised research methods to provide directly comparable results. Ireland’s first comprehensive survey on colony losses for COLOSS took place over the winter of 2008-2009. Since then the survey has been repeated annually. Participation in the COLOSS network forms part of Ireland’s National Apiculture Programme which is currently conducted by University of Limerick in conjunction with Teagasc. Ireland’s National Apiculture Programme is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with 50% co-funding provided by the EU Commission.
As part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s pesticide registration process the effect on honeybee health as well as the wider ecosystem is considered before any decision is made to permit the use of a pesticide in Ireland.
Pesticides and especially insecticides can have a negative impact on honeybee mortality, however the presence of the varroa mite and its associated viruses are considered to be to be the most significant cause of colony weakening / mortality.
185. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking or what research his Department is conducting to ensure that our ash trees are not exposed to ash tree disease that is crossing Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49022/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department confirmed a finding of Chalara fraxinea - ash dieback - in County Leitrim in October. Since then measures were taken to protect our ash trees from the spread of this disease. Firstly all material from the imported consignment concerned was destroyed. In addition, I put in place legislation banning the import of ash plants from countries or parts of countries known to have the disease. This Statutory Instrument came into effect from 26 October 2012 and in Northern Ireland equivalent measures were simultaneously introduced.
Further legislation was introduced this week to control the import of ash wood into the country. The details of this legislation, which came into effect yesterday, have also been agreed with Northern Ireland. The legislation will allow ash wood movement into Ireland if (1) it comes from an area free of the disease or (2) its free of outer round surface (including bark) or (3) its kiln dried below 20% moisture.
In terms of research, support is provided through my Department under the COFORD programme for studies on broadleaf tree improvement. This work is being undertaken principally in University College Dublin, in close collaboration with Coillte and Teagasc, with the aim of improving the future quality and productivity of Irish forests. In addition my Department has identified a number of ash plantations for inclusion on the official seed stand register of Ireland. Seed from these plantations will have better growth characteristics than seed from unselected stands. Three ash seed orchards have also been established in collaboration with Coillte and the Future Trees Trust, a joint UK/Ireland collaboration. My Department is also a member of EUFORGEN – the European forest genetics resources programme, which includes ash.
186. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the expected cost of the Children's Referendum including a breakdown of such costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48985/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is a provision of €3 million in the Vote of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs relating to the cost of holding a constitutional referendum on children’s rights.
Of this €3m, the Department has allocated €1.9 million to the Referendum Commission for the performance of its statutory functions. The breakdown of this amount will become available when the Referendum Commission’s report on the children’s referendum is published.
The balance of €1.1 million is being used to fund the Department’s public information activities. The breakdown of the actual expenditure of this figure will be provided directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The cost of holding the actual poll will be met, as is the case with all referendums, by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government from the Central Fund.
