Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding the World Trade organisation situation; the possibility of an agreement in view of the fact that it would now appear that an agreement has been reached between India and the USA on the matter that stalled the WTO talks in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26077/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his preferred options in the context of the ongoing WTO discussions; if he will provide an assurance that he and other European Ministers fully appreciate the need to ensure adequacy and security of food supplies for the population of Europe and that sufficient steps are taken to ensure that the Irish and European food producing sectors are capable of meeting the challenge of international competition and consumer needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26083/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 90 together.

The current position in regard to the WTO negotiations is that talks are stalled following the failure to reach agreement at the Ministerial meeting last July and the decision to defer indefinitely a second Ministerial meeting planned for last December. The G20 meeting in April provided no new momentum for the negotiations and nor did it set a date for a conclusion of the talks this year. Notwithstanding changes in the Indian administration and unconfirmed reports of narrowing of differences between India and the US on issues that precipitated last year's breakdown of talks, the prospects for agreement are uncertain. These negotiations involve a large number of complex issues and 153 countries and it is difficult to see serious negotiations restarting until later this year at the earliest.

In all of this, Ireland's position has not changed. We want to see an agreement but that agreement must be balanced and should not be at the expense of Irish and EU agriculture. In this connection, I have repeatedly made the point to the EU Commission and to my colleagues in other Member States that the emerging challenge of food security must be taken into account together with the many other changes in the world since the current round of negotiations commenced in 2001.

As to the readiness of Irish and European food producing sectors to meet the challenge of international competition, several initiatives are underway to anticipate and prepare for the more competitive environment facing the agri-food sector in expectation of a WTO deal at some point in the future and to address other challenges facing the sector.

Strategies for the development of a consumer focused, competitive and sustainable agri-food sector capable of meeting the challenges of more liberalised markets and broader societal demands both at home and abroad are set out in the Agri-vision 2015 report and the Cawley Report. These strategies identify the delivery of safe, high quality, nutritious food produced in a sustainable manner for high value markets as the optimum road for the future of the Irish food industry in the light of the changes which have already taken place or are anticipated over the next number of years. They span the entire food chain from primary production through processing to market access which is key to developing export potential.

An inter-Departmental Market Access Group chaired by my Department and comprising representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, An Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Iascaigh Mhara is currently engaged in a co-ordinated effort to identify potential market opportunities for the full range of Irish food and beverages, prioritisation of market initiatives and broader access issues.