Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I congratulate Mr. O'Toole on his appointment, by the way. I met with his predecessor earlier in the term of this Dáil and in advance of the original application being submitted. I made the case for putting forward an all-Ireland PGI application. From my experience as an MEP, I was of the view that it stood much more likelihood of success, but there was resistance from Bord Bia in that regard. The irony of it was that it took an intervention from a DUP Minister to bring it to a point at which we are now looking at an all-Ireland label. Does Bord Bia recognise that that was a failing on its part? Does it now see it as an important part of its work to ensure we recognise the value of promoting food that is produced on the island, recognising that we are too small a country to have farmers competing against one another, North and South.