Dáil debates

Wednesday, 29 November 2006

Other Questions

Biotechnological Inventions.

3:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to research here connected with the development of plastic materials and chemical agents from plants like wheat, sunflower, maize or beet; if not, the action she will take to ensure that such research begins as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40547/06]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that advances in life sciences and industrial biotechnology are breaking new ground in understanding microbial biodiversity and bioprocesses that could lead to valuable bioproduct and biomaterials like plastic materials and chemical agents being produced from agricultural crops. Support for such research which, I believe, should be very much led by industry comes within the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The interest of the Department of Agriculture and Food in this general area lies in the potential for farm production in developing alternative uses for crops. The creation of new markets via non-traditional uses of crops is particularly topical at the moment. To that end the Department of Agriculture and Food has provided considerable research funding via the public good competitive research programme, namely, the research stimulus fund.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Again, I want to thank the Minister of State for his reply. However, it suggests that there is a large gap somewhere in terms of research. I raised the question on the basis of the Minister's indications on the availability of crops and the potential for their development and conversion into a biodegradable product, by comparison with the use and overuse of plastic products which are non-biodegradable and are creating an environmental nuisance.

I hope the Minister of State will agree there is a need for joined-up thinking in the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Agriculture and Food regarding the opportunities to co-operate in respect of the production of raw material and its further development into a product that is biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Can the Minister of State indicate whether some discussions could be arranged, or are already taking place with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as to how this might be activated?

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is the lead Department for the European Union's seventh framework programme and from next year, significant funds will be made available from that programme. The Department of Agriculture and Food's role will come under the general theme of food, agriculture and biotechnology. The first call on the framework programme reflects many of the Irish research priorities in non-food crop research. The Department anticipates and is confident there will be successful Irish participation in the seventh framework programme.

As for the areas Deputy Upton correctly identified as having potential, the principal areas funded have included energy production, including bio-fuels, bioethanol and bio-mass production, as well as the use of waste heat. To date, funding under the Department's stimulus research programme has amounted to more than €3.5 million. I refer to bio-mass, miscanthus, willows, bioethanol and the entire field of the alternative use of crops and sustainable agriculture. The Department's stimulus research programme is particularly geared towards assisting such research in third level colleges and within industry. As Members are aware, there is a focus on the question of the need for alternative energy sources in the context of the Government's Green Paper. Moreover, considerable research funding will be devoted to the potential of those particular crops.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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While I welcome those developments, I understand the Minister of State mentioned a sum of €3.5 million. I consider such a sum to be an extremely small amount of investment in terms of such research. Is the figure of €3.5 million correct?

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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It pertains to that particular area, to date.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Yes. This field has enormous development potential and should be promoted. My question pertained in particular to the replacement of plastic materials, in so far as they might be used, for instance, as a food covering material. Some leading supermarkets in the United Kingdom are already working on such research, in which plastic coatings from such biodegradable raw material are used. Will the Department encourage such research in Ireland, as it relates to both the agricultural production and food consumption aspects?

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I doubt whether I have sufficient knowledge to comment on a matter that is probably still under development in a laboratory. It is a subject on which I will gladly defer to the Department's inspectorate and to specialists. However, I will not attempt to comment on something that, to my knowledge, has not yet taken life.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Supermarkets in the United Kingdom are already doing so.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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To follow Deputy Upton's comments, there is concern within the scientific sector that heretofore, Science Foundation Ireland was more focussed on the high technology end of the spectrum than on developing Ireland's strengths in respect of food production and the growth of crops such as those mentioned by Deputy Upton. Has the Minister of State met representatives of Science Foundation Ireland in this regard? Has he discussed these concerns with it? While its attitude is now changing, can the Minister of State guarantee a greater focus on this subject on the part of Science Foundation Ireland in future?

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I met Dr. Fottrell, the chairman of Science Foundation Ireland, in late 2004. It has been exceptionally successful in its work since its establishment in the late 1990s or the early years of this century. The Government is committed to providing substantial resources in the field of food research innovation. I have stated that substantial resources have been committed already in the Department's Estimates and will be provided under the Government's science and technology innovation strategy.

Last August, the International Congress of Meat Science and Technology was held in Ireland. It was hosted by Teagasc and the Department and included participants from more than 50 countries. I spoke to participants from countries such as the United States, Britain and other European counties who were highly knowledgeable about the significant resources Ireland is investing in science and research at present. I refer to the development of the laboratories at Backweston, the additional resources for Teagasc and the assistance to third level institutions at both university and institute of technology level. Moreover, public good research can be conducted by private and public companies in association with the public service and third level institutions. This is how great synergies are being developed with regard to productive research. I am highly confident the considerable resources being devoted to the food sector will pay great dividends for the food industry, the national economy and — as Deputy Upton noted earlier — the emerging health agenda.