Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are addressing it, although perhaps not in the formal sense for which the Deputy is asking. Grain, for example, is one of the very few agricultural products of which we import substantial values in terms of feed grain and so on. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has examined specifically supporting Irish farmers to grow more grain in response to that exposure resulting from the impact of the war in Ukraine and grain prices going up.

It exposed Ireland's reliance on imports from markets that are now severely disrupted. It is a good example of trying to restructure our systems and create business opportunities here to grow products that we can perhaps produce more efficiently compared with importing from other parts of the world. I am sure there are other areas where we can do the same. Seaweed was mentioned. We should be able to produce enough raw material in Ireland for all our seaweed companies that are adding value, yet many of them are forced to import from abroad.

To be clear, we cannot deliberately disadvantage companies selling into Ireland by putting up non-tariff barriers to do that. Instead, we build an efficient, indigenous industry in Ireland that can compete and win.

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