Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food the marketing budget in place to deliver on the marketing objectives outlined in Food Harvest 2020; to outline An Bord Bia's short term priorities in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41012/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Food Harvest 2020 sets out a roadmap and framework for smart, green growth of our agrifood, fisheries and forestry sectors. In the food area in particular, the report identifies the importance of marketing what Ireland has to offer. This means creating very strong links for those who buy our products between food, high environmental standards and sustainable production.

These factors fit well with the growing consumer awareness of the environment, animal welfare and ethical production methods. They can offer a key advantage, provided that we can demonstrate to our international customers we really do produce food in a sustainable way throughout the food chain and do meet the highest internationally recognised standards.

The idea of going further and creating an umbrella brand for Irish food and drink, based to a large extent on the sound environmental credentials, has potential. However, I recognise, as indeed did the Food Harvest 2020 Committee, that realisation of a brand would involve detailed consideration and planning as well as considerable realignment of industry, producers and State resources. There are also considerations regarding EU state aid rules which do not allow marketing of agricultural produce based on origin alone, and it would be premature to put multi-annual budgets for a brand in place at this stage.

Bord Bia is carrying out research into possible branding models and "co-opetition", a model of co-operation where competitors may achieve efficiencies by working together at particular points of the supply chain and which is mentioned in the report.

With the recommendations of the food harvest report in mind, I have allocated €2.5 million to Bord Bia in 2010 for special marketing initiatives. Bord Bia is also working on a new sustainability initiative to further consolidate the market position of quality assured Irish beef and the accreditation and audit work involved is being funded from within a €4.3 million special fund for quality assurance in Bord Bia's budget for 2010. From January 2011, the environmental performance of the 32,000 farms participating in the Bord Bia beef quality assurance scheme will be tracked on an ongoing basis to objectively demonstrate its green production credentials. The board is currently completing the process of accreditation to the international recognised specification, in association with the Carbon Trust in Britain. It is understood to be the first scheme of its type in the world to incorporate an objective assessment of the carbon footprint and will enable Irish beef farmers to demonstrate that they are improving their environmental credentials and increasing productivity.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for that reply. I asked the question because as we are all aware, agriculture and our exports are growing and the need for quality food across the world will become more in demand as time goes on. This is my first time to ask a question as spokesperson in this House but when I went home to start farming at 15 years of age when we joined the European Union, Bord Bia was always looked up to and it did a great deal of good work. I asked the question because I want to know if the Minister is happy that the funding Bord Bia gets is being put to good use and that we are implementing the right measures to promote Irish agriculture.

I am aware there was a food fair in Brussels at which all 27 member countries were invited to host a stand. Ireland ended up with a stand with an empty bottle of Beamish and a list of the numbers of pubs in the area. When people looked into the matter to know the position the organisers said that they were told that because of cutbacks-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That issue would merit a specific question of its own.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The organisers said they were told that because of cutbacks Ireland had neither the staff nor the stock to put on display at the fair. I ask the Minister to look into that because I would not like to think that that would ever happen again.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I want to congratulate Deputy Shane McEntee and his colleagues. I mentioned that already to Deputy Andrew Doyle. We look forward to working with them in regard to this particular sector.

I thank Deputy McEntee for his compliments regarding the work of Bord Bia. It is an internationally recognised brand for Ireland and it does excellent work. I have the opportunity at times to travel abroad and support its work in different markets. Two weeks ago I attended the SIAL exhibition in Paris where 14 Irish companies participated in the Bord Bia stand, which was hugely important and extremely successful. It was attended by one of the largest number of trade visitors - people with purchasing power - and meetings were organised with different Irish companies through the good offices of Bord Bia.

On the last question about a particular marketing focus in Brussels, I am not sure if Bord Bia had been invited to participate. I will come back to Deputy McEntee with the answer I got at the time but Bord Bia is involved in a huge range of food promotions throughout Europe and further afield on a yearly basis. Its calendar of events is extremely impressive. It will not attend every single event because there is more merit in participating in some events than others. It is recognised throughout the world for being an efficient, lean organisation and I know from my experience of travelling to promotions abroad with the company that we get access to important decision makers and people with huge purchasing power also.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We will revert to Question No. 1.