Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

That front foot forward is exactly what I am doing in leading my Department. It is why I was in the US for a series of political meetings at Capitol Hill over a couple of days and meetings with other key clients and customers across the US. It is why I will travel to Asia next month. I continue to take those opportunities to tell the story of the innovation that Deputy Clendennen referenced in our food system. Deputy Kenny just highlighted the point I was going to make on the domestic market and our supermarkets and retailers. The agrifood regulator is doing important work in that regard in bringing that transparency piece while also making sure that unfair trading practices are not happening. Since we established the office, it has had a lot of success. I am very supportive of that. I am keen to make sure the officials are equipped to do the job they need to do in providing transparency. It is important for the relationship across the supply chain from our primary producers, our farmers through to our processors and the retail element that we have that equilibrium.

I work closely with my colleagues, including the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, on expanding elements of the markets we are in already. They are just as important as new markets and there are sometimes original contacts that make it easier. We continue to work on all those new opportunities, for example, the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley's work with Seafood Expo and others.

See this speech in context