Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In 2009 or 2010, UCD launched a particular food or veterinary course tailored to the needs of students in China. I was in Shanghai or Beijing at the launch. Does the IDA know how the course has worked out from the point of view of numbers coming to Ireland and UCD to study? It was on the basis that those people would go back knowing our food system and farming practices. Has that developed?

I note the presence of Irish companies in emerging markets, including some of the major food companies. In particular, those involved in infant formula have had a good presence for many years. There were visits to Ireland by journalists from some of the leading newspapers in China. Not alone did they visit the processing and manufacturing facilities, they went to the farms where the milk was produced. It made for very positive feedback in their publications. Those visits were extremely important.