Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am aware of the challenges that face the industry. I have had the opportunity to visit Deputy Sargent's constituency of Dublin North on a number of occasions, where I met smaller growers as well as larger processors. It is almost one year since the Deputy accompanied me to an establishment in Ballyboughal which had received an investment of €7 million.

This report draws on a range of internal research by my Department and Teagasc to outline the challenges as well as the investments made by large and small enterprises over the past several years, particularly in respect of north County Dublin. When I presented awards to the horticultural sector 12 months ago, I asked growers to become involved in producer organisations. The mushroom sector, with which Deputy Crawford and the Acting Chairman, Deputy Kirk, are very familiar ——

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