Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. This might be outside what people are talking about in terms of grain for cattle but my understanding is that most of our grain for bakeries is imported. What is the position on that? I am aware that some of it comes from Canada. I believe it is mixed in England with some of the British grain.

I have numerous questions for the Bord Bia witnesses. They might keep a note of them because I will be ticking them off as they answer them. In Northern Ireland last year, the factories were able to kill Irish cattle and they were certified by Bord Bia. Are the witnesses aware of any plans that processors in Northern Ireland will take Irish cattle or have they talked about getting rid of this nomad situation? They Northern Ireland processors have basically said they want to be part of this PGI status. Is there any deal being done that will help us in that way?

The Brexit process has been going on for five years. What percentage of the beef going to England have the witnesses moved to other parts of the world away from the British market? How many trade missions have the witnesses been on in the past five years? How many live exporters did they bring with them on those missions?

There was great talk about the markets in China. How much money has Bord Bia spent on trying to open markets in China? What is the number of exports to China?

Will the witnesses' PGI be a premium price? I want a "yes" or "no" answer. Will the price be much higher if one is producing grass-fed beef? If we are putting in a PGI application that includes, say, 1.8 tonnes of grain per animal, do the witnesses believe that will be classed as grass-fed beef? When do they envisage the suckler grass-fed PGI application to be sent to Europe for the sucker herd? Will that be a separate entity from what we are looking at currently?

With regard to our exports to other countries, I understand that one of the biggest buyers in Holland may not be buying this year. Where do the witnesses envisage all our calves will go?

With regard to horticulture, are the witnesses aware that there is peat coming into the country? Have they made Government circles aware that that is like bringing water to the well in that we are stopping peat production here for the horticulture sector and leaving them, through planning processes and so on, in a difficult situation while at the same time we are importing peat?

With regard to the logo, will the Bord Bia grass-fed logo be used in all beef brands by processors? Who will own that logo? I hear that was not discussed. Was it discussed at the task force when an application was launched?