Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy raised a point about the relative position of the primary producer on the supply chain. It is the case, and it is of concern both here and across the European Union, that when there is a squeeze it is the primary producer, or the consumer, who is always most adversely affected, and those in the middle, the distributor and the retailer, seem to be immune. The Commission is seeking to take a number of initiatives on that. In 2015 the then Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation commenced some new regulations in terms of addressing those disadvantages in retailing. It is important that we continue that. Mercosur is not a done deal. We are extremely concerned about what appears to be happening in terms of EU negotiations with Mercosur . We are primarily concerned because 50% of our beef - some 250,000 tonnes - goes into the United Kingdom every year. We are looking at how we can secure that market. It is our nearest and best paying market and we are concerned about what will happen when the UK is conducting its own trade agreements and how we can protect ourselves from that post-Brexit.

We have also given substantial additional funding to An Bord Bia, almost €10 million since the Brexit referendum. That is primarily aimed at securing existing markets and looking for new market opportunities and it is bearing fruit. Our exports to countries outside the European Union increased by nearly 50% in the first six months of 2017.

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