Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
809. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the beef task force; the number of times the task force has met to date; the reports completed to date by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31730/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast year, the Beef Taskforce was established to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The Taskforce provides a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Talks Agreement of 15th September 2019, with timelines and stakeholder engagement. The Beef Taskforce offers an important platform for strategic engagement with all the key sectoral stakeholders. The support of the Government for the work of the Taskforce is included in the Programme for Government.
To date, there have been 4 meetings of the Taskforce, two of which have been virtual due to public health guidelines on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
There is a specific page on my Department's website dedicated to the Beef Taskforce at https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/beef/beeftaskforce/. This page contains all relevant documents pertaining to the work of the Taskforce to date, including the agreement reached on 15 September 2019, the Terms of Reference for the Taskforce, and updates on actions arising out of the agreement to date.
