Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, on their appointments and wish them well in office.

I noted the points the Minister made in his reply but this reply and the reply to Question No. 26 seem to be inextricably linked. The difficulty with the marketing strategy particularly in the dairy sector is that it will be 2014 before full tilt production in that sector is achieved. It will be difficult to plan a marketing strategy on the basis that certain volumes of dairy product will be available to export to Asia, China or wherever. We are all pleased that China has been mentioned as a target area for Bord Bia and other agencies that might be working in that area.

There is a difficulty in this area having regard to production levels and the constraints on foot of the superlevy regime we have in place. I noted the points the Minister made in response to Deputy Moynihan. Having regard to the responses given and the indications that production levels in other member states in the Community are way below what their national quotas allow, I dare say that will give some hope to an industry that is chomping at the bit to move on in terms of increased production. There is a potential to create national wealth in an industry that perhaps has not performed up to the level it could previously, but with expansion there is the potential to do that. With the dichotomy that exists between constraints on production vis-À-vis the marketing of a product, the sector may not be able to fulfil the deliveries.

See this speech in context