Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Many of the suggestions made by the delegation today are cost neutral, which means they have no financial implications. Bord Bia is a promotional body and is in charge of quality assurance. Bord Bia should be brought into the equation to streamline the inspection regime for the organic sector. A huge number of farms have quality assurance. I strongly believe that organic inspections must be streamlined to include quality assurance and standards must also be streamlined. Such a move would solve many of the issues raised, including payment issues. Many of the difficulties raised by the delegation would be streamlined if inspections were carried out every year and a half to gain or retain organic status. Bord Bia needs to be involved in the organic sector. There has been a hands-off approach up to now but that must change.