Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

——has gained significant benefits from forming producer organisations in terms of strengthening the bargaining power of individual suppliers. The rest of the vegetable sector has not availed of the opportunities offered by producer organisations but direct grant assistance is available from the EU and administered by my Department for them to do so.

Deputy Sargent and his Dáil colleagues in Dublin North are aware of the challenges which face individual farmers and enterprises. If they are to operate more effectively in the market, they will have to make better use of producer organisations to combine their strength. Only a small number of farmers are currently involved in the Dublin Meath Growers Society and the other producer organisation in north County Dublin.

The proposals we have put to Europe will allow us to develop an even better system for funding producer organisations under the next NDP. The process will be simplified and more beneficial to individual growers. As I noted in my earlier reply, we have allocated substantial amounts of funding for on-farm developments in this sector between now and 2013.

I met the people who commissioned this report, the farmers and their representatives, and the Minister and Department officials have maintained contact with them. Before the end of this month, I will convene a major forum at which all stakeholders will be able to debate the difficulties, challenges, weaknesses and opportunities in the industry. This forum will be led by my Department and will represent an important start.

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