Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It is great to discover the type of activity that can be generated by a parliamentary question. Before I submitted this question, there was no indication that the meeting to which the Minister referred was likely to take place. Nevertheless, I am pleased that some progress is being made in this area.

As I have said before in this House, the old methods of promoting tourism are no longer effective. Dining is a leisure activity in its own right and many people choose holidays based on their interest in food. For visitors to France and Tuscany, for example, a great part of the attraction is the food and wine. Some of our brands, such as Clonakilty sausages and Dairygold butter, already enjoy wide recognition internationally. We must work to develop the potential of the dairy and beef industries. Irish beef is more highly regarded outside Ireland than it is at home. There is the potential to build a food tourism sector but there must be investment. Will any money be available from the product development fund to bring together the elements of the industry, including food festivals, food trails, cookery schools and so on, in a more comprehensive way in order to sell Ireland as a food destination? If we are to differentiate our product from that of every other country, we must develop this type of niche offering.

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