Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

In the limited time available, I wish to raise three issues. This is an exciting time in agriculture but we need to exploit some of the bottlenecks. I welcome the tabling of this Fianna Fáil motion and the all-party agreement on the principal issues. However, it is important that we focus on matters such as research and development, marketing and promotion and labelling laws. We are spending approximately 5% of our total research and development budget on the single largest indigenous sector of our economy. It is important that we refocus investment on the agrifood sectors.

The agriculture and food industries need to be constantly developing the next best food product if we are to compete effectively. It is not good enough to rely on Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, which was first produced nearly 40 years ago. Not only must we focus on investment in consumer products such as functional foods and cheese. In tandem, we must support programmes and initiatives that improve the breeding and quality standards of Irish beef and sheep production.

It is important that we refocus our marketing and promotion of food products. We have a unique selling proposition in terms of our grass-fed product. Research after research, particularly in the USA, has shown that consumers want to eat meat products that come from grass-fed sources and prefer such meats over other food products. Research has highlighted that grass-fed beef and other meat products have significant health benefits due to the presence not only of omega-3 oils but also of minerals, vitamins and conjugated linoleic acid, CLA, which reduces the risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes and a number of immune disorders. We should focus on that attribute of our beef products as well as our lamb and dairy products, which are also mostly grass-fed. Yet, on the Bord Bia website and in the marketing campaigns, this aspect is not prominent in the promotion of our food products. We need to focus on what we are good at. We have a product on which only a few other countries in the world can compete with us, and we must focus on it.

The final point I raise is that of food labelling. We have introduced country-of-origin food labelling in recent years, but there is not much point in introducing legislation unless we enforce it. I have one question for the House: where is the home of the Whopper? Burger King promotes its premium certified Angus beef products, and I do not dispute it in this regard, but there is no country of origin displayed in the restaurants or on its website, which is contrary to the existing legislation. I do not see why a multinational franchise can be allowed to get away with a breach of the legislation when other small retailers and producers must comply with the laws on displaying the country of origin of beef. I do not accept that no environmental health officer has spotted this. It is clearly not a priority at the moment, and this must be changed.

It is important that any benefits accrued in the marketplace are passed back to farmers. There is major potential to obtain premium prices for our products, but it is also important that Irish farmers directly benefit from this. We must take power away from the supermarkets, especially the multinational supermarkets, and protect our indigenous farmers and industry. We must ensure Ireland becomes the food island, not only for Europe but for the whole world.

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