Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 27 September 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Development of the Sheep Sector: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Paul DalyPaul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I did not mean a policy restriction. I was putting the cart before the horse in that, if it was policy, could Enterprise Ireland drive it? There is one family and one company, Sheep Milk Ireland. Hypothetically, if the Government decided that there is a future in this area, that is the only company. It has talked to Enterprise Ireland already but can EI be instructed by Government that this is now policy, this is a sector it wants to develop into a world market and it thinks Ireland can get involved in it, yet there is only one very small company. The situation is that it may not fit Enterprise Ireland's criteria for funding but it is Government policy. Can the Government direct Enterprise Ireland to try to develop an area in which it sees a niche that may support agriculture and the sheep sector, going forward? It is in its infancy - there are not even ten people involved at the minute but it has potential. We do not export anything at the moment but there is unbelievable potential. Can Enterprise Ireland drive it from its side or - I will not say it is sitting on its hands doing nothing - does Enterprise Ireland just wait until the Crosse brothers or some similar entity comes knocking on the door? What is Enterprise Ireland's role in implementing Government policy for sectors, if the Government has a sector it wants to develop as part of its policy or programme for Government or future vision?