Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know what you mean. Thank you for the advice. It is much appreciated.

Given that Johnson Castle carries out research and makes recommendations for the industry in Ireland it is something of a surprise that there is no one promoting local potatoes, because the potatoes in Wexford are unusual. The matter is worth considering. In Wexford, British Queen, Golden Wonder and Kerr's Pink are grown but they make up a small percentage of the Irish potato. The Irish potato is now completely dominated by the rooster, which is easy to boil and exportable. It is used for chips and mash but people who really like potatoes and who know how to cook them are far more interested in Queens and Golden Wonders in particular because they have a stronger flavour.

An educational issue is at stake. We do not educate people today about how they should eat and cook. People have forgotten and many young people do not know how to cook potatoes. When cooking Golden Wonders, for example, we must finish them by steaming or they will simply burst. Young people do not tolerate that. There is far more demand for convenience food now because people know so little about cooking and that is not good.

Any supermarket owner in Ireland will testify that his frozen food cabinets are getting longer every year. We should think about this issue. Ireland produces such wonderful fresh food and yet our frozen food aisles are getting longer and longer. There is a problem here and it is something we should probably address in the schools. It is a great shame that we are not teaching our young people to cherish and enjoy the wonderful fresh food products we have.

See this speech in context