Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: “notes:— the importance of agriculture as Ireland’s largest indigenous industry; — the successful negotiation of the new Common Agriculture Policy during the Irish Presidency in 2013 which secured Pillar 1 funding of €8.5 billion for Ireland in the period 2014-2020; — the negotiation by Ireland of the €2.2 billion funding under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, to which a further €1.9 billion was added by this Government; and — the importance of export markets to a strong Irish agrifood sector;acknowledges:— the dramatic increase in agrifood output and exports under this Government’s stewardship of Food Harvest 2020 to €10 billion; — that the long-term sustainability of the agrifood industry in Ireland requires a continued focus on improving profitability on Irish farms and on competitiveness and efficiency along the supply chain; — the success of the Origin Green campaign in this context; and — the need to ensure a level playing field between all actors in the agrifood industry, namely, primary producers, processors and retailers with a fair return to each sector, recognising that this is a pan-EU issue, given the very high level of exports of Irish agrifood products; andsupports:— the ongoing efforts of this Government to re-balance power along the supply chain, through the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 and through the public consultation on the establishment of producer organisations in the beef sector, which are intended, inter alia, to increase farmer bargaining power in the supply chain; — the Government’s continuing commitment to the development of the beef industry, including through direct investment in 2013 of more than €40 million for the beef genomics scheme, technology transfer and other measures, and the provision of €295 million for the beef genomics scheme in the draft Rural Development Programme 2014-2020; — the establishment of a beef forum, increase in marketing funds for the beef sector and efforts to increase transparency on pricing and specification for farmers; and — the Government and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in their continuing efforts to develop the agrifood sector and improve the profitability of Irish farmers.”- (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney)

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