Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for attending. Notwithstanding the fact that Deputy Fitzmaurice has rightly voiced concerns regarding the sensitive areas, it is rare that we get EU regulations that most people support and can see the value in. It is a notable occasion. GI is an important issue. The Department has to be commended on the work it has done on it. Equally, we have to acknowledge the various industries themselves have done significant work in this regard. The whiskey industry has invested significantly in it. We are probably fortunate to have a number of GIs that define a number of products, most notably, Irish whiskey and Irish cream liqueur. The sector has been long looking for this type of framework. Only in recent days we have seen how Irish brands, such as the Shed Distillery, which produces gin, are evolving on the global stage. If we look at where Scotland is, there is a huge opportunity for growth, and the Irish whiskey industry is still in its infancy. In County Longford, Lough Ree Distillery started out producing gin and it is producing its first whiskey now. In terms of GI, the distillery uses peat and the River Shannon in its processes. They are key parts of its product that cannot be created anywhere else. That is why GI is so critically important for such producers and why, in the main, they welcome these proposals. There are various proposals therein that aim to strengthen the role of the industry, directly funding and protecting producers' geographical indicators, while, at the same time, respecting the role of the competent authority, which is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is reassuring to hear that the Department is fully satisfied that it will continue as the competent authority. The industries and various sectors have huge respect for the way the Department has advanced this. If I were to ask for one thing, it would be to leave the lines of communication with producers open, and particularly the small-scale distilleries. They are keen for the engagement process to continue. They commend the Department on its work to date and wish to keep the lines of communication open.