Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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I thank Mr. Brennan and his colleagues for their presentation. In the time of Aidan Cotter and many others, like Deputy Cahill, I always found Bord Bia to be an excellent organisation. Thankfully, we have always championed the call for additional resources which it has always repaid in spades in its efforts and marketing skills in related areas.

Market diversification is the key. Even if we were not hit by the threat of Brexit, it is incumbent on us to secure new markets for different products and to meet consumer preferences and everything else. It is absolutely critical that we do this and to see how we might be in a position to supply various markets. The disruption likely to be caused is something to which we have to pay particular attention.

Has Bord Bia identified the key parameters associated with the quality production in which we engage, particularly in the context of the emphasis placed on the need for people to see our product as being green grass-fed? Is that gaining any traction in identifying the new markets referred to? What is the likely degree of penetration in those markets as a result of what we have to offer? Are there improvements we can make or are we just fooling ourselves? The Food Wise 2025 targets are great, but, as in the case of every organisation, the representatives of which come here, if anyone tells us or indicates that we should stall the horse, he or she is looked upon as a Luddite and castigated, even non-verbally and the frown says it all. However, there is no point in having a glut of products and produce if we do not have markets for them. We have only defined and very limited markets. Up to nine of every ten animals we produce are exported in some shape or form. Likewise, for cheddar cheese, we are close to having one market for our product. These are the challenges. We should also be very clear and succinct in informing the producing public - farmers - that there may well be pitfalls ahead and that they should not allow themselves to go down the wrong road. It is all about finding new export markets for existing products and trying to have reopened some of the ones that were closed off. I am aware that Bord Bia is working on the issue and they potentially sound very attractive.

There is also the issue of developing new lines or products to substitute for the loss of the market share in the United Kingdom. Sterling has strengthened again in the last week or so, but, of course, the exchange rate is up and down. It has become an oscillating currency as a result of the events occurring within the British Government. How does Bord Bia suggest we deal with the issue? With such a preponderance of products that go to the United Kingdom, how does Bord Bia see us getting our products to other markets if we win them because, as we know, the United Kingdom is a significant bridgehead? I am aware that new seafaring routes are being opened up and that we are making our own way and developing alternatives to travelling through Great Britain. Nevertheless, it is still a significant bridgehead which will be important. Is Bord Bia planning its alternative strategies on the basis that there will be a no-deal Brexit or is it considering the full panoply of potential outcomes to see how things might progress in that regard?

I am aware that next year Bord Bia will employ a number of people, including graduates, to play the roles it requires to play to facilitate the various sectors as they transit into the post-Brexit economic environment, especially after March 2019. I still have a strong feeling that in ten years' time we will be talking about this issue. It took Greenland three years to get out of the European Union and it had only had a few agreements here and there. In this instance, we are dealing with a very large country with a population of 60 odd million people and thousands of interlocking agreements. It is going to be a long haul.

That is why I think we will be allocating resources to Bord Bia and other advisory and marketing bodies for a long time to come and I hope they will continue their good work.