Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The delegation will have to excuse me as I am an urban Deputy. We eat food but we often do not know from where it comes. I congratulate Irish food producers for bringing food quality to a sophisticated and high-value level. This is displayed in the marketing by the supermarkets from Aldi and Tesco, emphasising the quality of Irish food. There is a large range of artisan foods available too. Although I married a yank and the word “blueberry” is synonymous with America, never did I believe I would see blueberries produced in the Bog of Allen which are a superior quality to the ones imported from Israel. We have quality agricultural land, food producers and processors.

I recently met the agricultural Minister from Ethiopia, an agricultural country with a population of 94 million. Our exports to it amount to €1.7 million. Africa is no longer about the black babies or feeding the hungry. African countries are sophisticated and their economic growth is phenomenal. It has an emerging middle class just like in China. I played my role as a city councillor in developing relations with China and seeing Dublin twinned with Beijing. I am very familiar with China, Africa, having lived there for four years, and the economic growth of the middle classes there. As a member of the committee, I am interested in assisting in the development of further export markets to formerly Third World countries. Is it Bord Bia we rely on to develop these markets? I know embassy staff play a role in developing trade. I thank the IFA and farmers for improving the quality of Irish food produce. How can this committee work with the IFA in developing these markets?