Change of time: Agriculture Committee to consider role of new Investigations Division Select Committee to also consider Supplementary Estimates with Minister

The work of the newly established Investigations Division of the Department of Agriculture will be considered this afternoon by the Oireachtas Joint Committee Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This meeting will take place at the revised time of 3:30 pm. Following this session, the Dáil Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will convene to meet Minister Simon Coveney TD at 5:30 pm to discuss Supplementary Estimates. Department of Agriculture Officials will brief the Committee on the new Division, which brings all investigation capability, both internal and external, into one Division. It is headed by a Senior Superintending Veterinary Officer and supported by a team of investigators. Chairman of the Committee Andrew Doyle TD says: “With food and drink exports topping €10 billion in 2013, it is vital that strong controls are in place to protect and enhance the reputation of our Agri-food sector. It is also vitally important is that farm families can have confidence that the infrastructure in place safeguarding these standards is robust, impartial and proportionate. “A restructuring of the investigations capability of the Department was announced by Minister Coveney in October, who said that it would bring cohesive, consolidated and effective investigation capability to his Department. The newly established Investigations Division will take over many of the functions of the Special Investigations Unit. As a Committee, we look forward to engaging with key Department Officials on Tuesday on the priorities of the new Division.” To commence the meeting, the Committee will scrutinise EU legislative proposal COM (2014) 670, which relates to 2015 fishing opportunities.