Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I recall Chris Horne saying years ago in the context of research in Ireland that we have lots of interesting launches but what we need is an admiralty. Looking at the evidence here, that is my sense. My question to everyone is: how do we scale up?

In terms of those with whom Ms Ruttland deals, which I presume are some of the big food providers and the retail sector, how much penetration has FoodCloud in that? What potential is there to scale in that sector? I understand that France has introduced zero tolerance on waste at a certain retail level. Is that completely different from the environment in Ireland?

On the food and drink sector, we just heard that only 35 people signed up to the food waste programme. FoodCloud has 150 members. Presumably IBEC has members in the waste sector and many others who are not in food processing in the supply chain. If this is something that we all recognise that we need to be on a rapid change then why is there such a low level of take-up? Would IBEC support the kind of approach that seems to be taken in the Netherlands where there is a sort of compact of the whole supply chain? That is that it is not just the food processors but looking up the chain to the primary producers and down the supply chain through retail and into consumers so that you start to get joined-up initiatives. It makes enormous sense and we heard earlier that everyone wins from this.

If we are to present the bioeconomy opportunity to farmers, can we now see a profitable pathway for them that in five or ten years they can see it yielding profit or are we still in an uncertain environment with costs and barriers?

Second, is there any sustainability conflict in building this biochain? Will it mean using fertilisers to grow more grass that leaches out into the environment, or whatever, or is that balanced by the presumption of a lower herd that presumably washes away somewhat? It is not the same emissions but it does have other benefits. How far are we on this? Can we scale this or is it an interesting opportunity that is still a bit out on the horizon?