Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

There may be some lack of detail in the information made available to the public regarding the implementation of the Food Harvest 2020 report. On the day it was launched, I stated I would chair the high-level implementation group. I also said there would not be a rigid system of having one implementation group as different issues will arise in different sectors and there may be different projects we may want to progress.

I have already established a dairy activation group, chaired by Dr. Seán Brady, and comprising farming representatives from different parts of the country such as Kerry, Waterford, south Mayo, Teagasc and various milk processors. I have given the group until the end of the month to produce an initial roadmap. I have spoken to various groups in the food sector who have made suggestions regarding other areas that need to be progressed. We will have other working groups-----

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