Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Ms McPhillips noted, there have been a number of round table and beef forum meetings. I understand all the farm organisations walked away from that recently. At the beginning, the beef forum was seen as the great white hope. Having all the stakeholders around a table is very important in trying to reach a fair solution. However, it seemed to become a talking shop more than an action group, if I could describe it as such, before it came to a conclusion. What is the current position in that regard? Are there plans in the Department to reinvigorate the forum or institute a similar type of forum?

Ms McPhillips mentioned that the Department is doing another SWOT analysis looking forward to 2030. The perception, right or wrong, was that Food Wise 2025 was an initiative from a top down perspective. What kind of a consultation or discussion process does the Department intend having with regard to where we go from now until 2030? Will officials talk to farm organisations and producers on the ground to get in-depth knowledge of exactly what is happening or what is required to secure the greatest possible benefit for primary producers by 2030?