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

The subtext behind the idea that we would review our Food Wise targets seems to be that we should dismantle our ambition. I do not share that belief. In fact, I think our ambition is eminently achievable. Never was it more important to have a plan like Food Wise than in the current situation. I chair the implementation committee of Food Wise. We meet with all the relevant stakeholders. There is no appetite for dismantling our ambition. Obviously, there is added urgency in the context of Brexit and that is why we have given more resources to explore new market opportunities.

Our declared ambition with regard to Brexit is to have as close a trading relationship with the UK as possible after it departs. We think it should always be an important market for us, which is why we are working might and main to achieve that objective. We do not control all of the aces in the context of a UK Government that delivers mixed messages but seems to say that it wants to leave the customs union and Single Market. This is a challenge in terms of the continued level of market access we currently enjoy where the price in that market is probably globally the best, particularly for beef, so we are looking at new market opportunities like China.

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