Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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My apologies. I missed the opening statement as there was a vote in the Seanad. I want to ask about the labour issue and how Keelings is dealing with that. It is a very significant issue in the industry at the moment. We heard in a previous contribution that 1,000 work permits were granted several years ago but that cohort of work permits is now fully taken up, according to the information we are given. Will the witnesses give an indication of where Keelings is with regard to the labour shortage at seasonal times, if there is a labour shortage, and how that impacts the industry? They might indicate what is required with regard to the Department moving on permits to ensure there is the potential to make another tranche of permits available to the industry.

With regard to the food waste issue, which I mentioned previously, I note the submission mentions Food Cloud, which I believe is a significant development. It was stated that Keelings has been working with Food Cloud since 2016. The witnesses might elaborate on the potential this might have going forward and how the Food Cloud element might impact on retail shops. Is there potential to have a designated shelf that might be appropriate for, say, wonky fruit or veg, depending on what the item is? Do the witnesses believe that is part of the Food Cloud vision going forward and is it another element that we need to look at?

We heard previously that 8% to 10% of greenhouse gases in the State originate from food waste in particular, so it is a very significant issue for us. The witnesses might give an indication of what Keelings is doing with regard to the potential for lowering the level of production of waste and where we are going on that issue of minimising waste.

The industry has been through very tough years, particularly with Brexit and its effect on the mushroom sector and peat, which are significant issues. We have gone from having 400 major growers down to 200, with 50 very major growers. Where do the witnesses see the market ending up in ten years time? Where do they see the number of operators in the market? I spoke to a gentleman who produces potatoes in Cork. He sends them to Dublin to be distributed nationwide, so the same potatoes go up the road and back down the road, and he often asks what is the carbon footprint of those potatoes. The witnesses might indicate how those issues in the marketplace could be looked at.