8 DFómh 2012, 15:18
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will tomorrow meet with representatives from Food and Drink Industry Ireland to discuss a review of Food Harvest 2020.
8 October 2012
Food Harvest 2020 sets out a vision for smart, green growth for the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors. The strategy, developed by an industry-led committee including representatives of the food and drink industry, state agencies, academia, farm bodies and other interested stakeholders, includes ambitious targets to increase food exports by 42 percent by 2020. Representatives from Food and Drink Industry Ireland, a business sector within IBEC, will outline their perspective on Food Harvest 2020.
Chairman of the Committee Andrew Doyle TD says: “Agri-food is the largest sector of the Irish economy and is labour intensive, employing about 150,000 people nationwide. Food Harvest 2020 recognises that the industry will be a cornerstone to Ireland’s economic recovery. As the sector is so embedded in Irish life, the export growth will have an impact far greater than that of other sectors, particularly in terms of job creation.”
“Under the IBEC umbrella, we will hear the distinct perspectives of the dairy, meat and consumer foods industries tomorrow. The Committee will get a sense of whether the sector is on course to reach the ambitious targets outlined in Food Harvest 2020. Committee Members will engage with the industry representatives on what policy decisions are required to bolster the competitiveness of the sector.”
This meeting will take place at 2 pm tomorrow, Tuesday 9 October in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live.
Ends
For further information contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine - Membership
Deputies:
Tom Barry, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Féin
Pat Deering, Fine Gael
Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael
Martin Heydon, Fine Gael
Colm Keaveney, Labour
Michael McNamara, Labour
Eamon Ó Cuiv, Fianna Fáil
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Senators:
Michael Comiskey , Fine Gael
Paschal Mooney, Fianna Fáil
Pat O’Neill, Fine Gael
Mary Ann O’Brien, Independent
Brian Ó Domhnaill, Fianna Fáil
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour