Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For a start, I do not know that any trade mission has ever cost €10 million.

The terms of reference are to get the stakeholders and the experts to set out their vision for it as well. There are areas the Deputy has identified. We could open up a scheme without having it clearly defined. There are impediments in the current structure that are restricting expansion in the sector. The Deputy mentioned tillage and cereals. One of the main inhibiting factors is that 32% of all lamb produced organically ends up sold organically because the cost of buying imported supplementary feed is such that it does not render it economically worthwhile to pursue organic sales beyond the grass-fed lambs. That is the sort of area we need to look at when we are looking at scoping out a new scheme. We could open a scheme without consideration to any of those matters and it would not be effective. We need to ensure, if the scheme is reopened, that it is targeted in a way that makes it effective.

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