Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House and I compliment Senators Quinn and Mary Ann O'Brien for tabling the motion. We all know the line "food, glorious food" from "Oliver!", and as Napoleon said an army marches on its stomach, so it is important we have a proper discussion on food. Food is the most important thing in the world. We cannot live without bread and water. Many of the points I was going to make have already been raised by other Senators.

The Government has tabled an amendment to the motion, which I second, but I agree with Senator Norris that we should try to come to a consensus on this because it is all for the good of the nation and the people. Good food produces good health. Senator Norris mentioned how we lived after the Second World War. Many cookery programmes on television are aimed at the high end of the market. I watch with interest programmes broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the History Channel on how the English coped during the Second World War and how leftovers were used properly. Part of the motion concerns how to deal properly with leftover food. Perhaps the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland or a Department should offer grants to people who produce a programme on creating proper meals from leftovers. It is shocking to see that 300 kg of black bin rubbish go out every year and that this is equivalent to 3,750 apples. This is a lot of apples and we would not need a doctor if we were eating that many. We should try to inform people on how important food is. People are starving throughout the world so we should not waste it. Senator O'Keeffe mentioned only 5 kg of food is wasted in Africa.

Senator Mary Ann O'Brien mentioned the difference between Irish smoked salmon and smoked Irish salmon. I do not eat smoked salmon so I do not know which is which; I am not in the smoked salmon brigade. This country should be very careful with regard to sanctions on other countries because we rely on exporting 80% of our products and we do not want another economic war. This country can pride itself on our food security and the food safety we have established through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Bord Bia, and it is important that we continue to press home these issues.

Labelling is important and I thoroughly disagree with the fact that if one sticks a breadcrumb on something one can label it as Irish. The EU is changing its regulations on this and the amendment states ingredients will have to represent more than 50% of a food for it to be claimed by a country of origin.

Senator O'Keeffe mentioned anaerobic digesters but I think people are afraid of them because of the name. They feel they are dangerous, like a crocodile in the river. This House has debated energy on many occasions and we see how the cost of energy is increasing. If food is wasted and it cannot be recycled the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and planning offices should make it easier to build anaerobic digesters in local areas. The Campile community in Callan has an anaerobic digester and the people provide their own energy.

Senator Quinn mentioned best before and sell before dates and I welcome the Government amendment recommending wider publicity for the stop food waste programme. Websites exist but the issue needs to be highlighted. At home we have often used a carton of milk after it is out of date. Such milk is often perfectly good and the way to judge it is on its taste. It is the same with regard to ham, and I see my young lads-----