Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis labhairt ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach chun an ábhar seo a phlé tráthnóna inniu. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil sé fíorghnóthach sa Roinn ar a bhfuil sé i bhfeighil faoi láthair.

I want to speak about farmers' markets. I remember well the traditional view in west Cork when the farmers' markets originally came to Clonakilty and Skibbereen and towns like that, there was a kind of resistance towards the markets from the established traders. There was a view that the markets were not contributing anything to society and they were making their way on the backs of others. As the passage of time has evolved there is now a significant shift in attitude towards how people view farmers' markets. We need only look at the thousands of people who go to farmers' markets every week and who wish to purchase produce that is produced locally, on a small scale or at home. In many Irish towns the farmers' markets are supported by the existing town traders because the traders are delighted with the footfall brought by farmer's markets in to towns facing the increasing challenge of desertion due to online trading. If we are to be serious as a Government and a State we must acknowledge this development and movement. We must do more than just give a nod to this trend.

We have to recognise the enormous value attached to the burgeoning and blossoming trade of farmers' markets. On top of that, it is now a huge social event every week in rural towns such as Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bandon and my own bailiwick of Kinsale. Nothing has really replaced - in any of these towns - the social event that was centred around the creamery. Many of my generation and older will remember attending the local creamery. While we refer to schools as social hubs there really is not a social life to the school yard. We come in our cars, we drop our children off and we move on again. In this context there is a lot to be said about rural isolation and the social aspect attached to farmers' markets.

Many people produce goods at home to make a living for themselves and their families and sell their wares at farmers' markets which are a massive tourist draw. We need only look anywhere on the Continent to see how enormously successful farmers' markets are. It is also the case in Ireland and it is high time we did a little more than pay lip service to them. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which is in charge of the promotion of food products needs to think outside the box. The Minister and his officials need to acknowledge the phenomenon that is the country market. I would like to see a funding stream provided for local authorities, in my case Cork County Council, to allow them provide hard-stand areas for farmers' markets, including a concrete channel. Instead of being choked by generator fumes, a system could be put in place, with outlets which could be charged using existing pay-as-you-go systems. Running water could also be made available. Awnings could be placed over the hard-stand areas to protect not only the traders but also the thousands of customers who like to visit the markets and purchase the produce on sale. This would take a little thinking outside the box. The Department provides funding through a number of agencies, but we need to up our game and move into the next sphere. We need to recognise the phenomenon farmers' markets are and their success and put our money where our mouths are and provide real funding to provide the genuine hardware associated with these events.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. Any of us who has had the privilege and opportunity to travel abroad has seen, particularly in continental Europe, the potential of farmers' markets. The Deputy referred to the colour and vibrancy they bring to local towns. We are blessed to have a network of old market towns. Unfortunately, many of them have fallen victim to recent shopping trends, with supermarkets on the outskirts sucking life from their centres. Many of them are adorned with fabulous old squares which, once upon a time, were thriving marketplaces and which in recent years have become glorified car parks. There is an opportunity, in the context of the points made by the Deputy, to reinvigorate them, including through the provision of appropriate infrastructure to support country and farmers' markets.

It is no coincidence that the proposal comes from the constituency of Cork South West which adjoins mine and where there is a very strong tradition of engaging in artisan food production and a real emphasis on food provenance. I would certainly see the proposal as beneficial. Support for farmers' markets is provided by the Department through the CEDRA rural innovation and development fund. I have assigned a portion of the €1.5 million allocation in 2016 to agrifood tourism projects in rural Ireland. They include local farmer, food and artisan market schemes that support local and seasonal food production and artisan crafts. In this regard, the Department recently awarded funding of €445,000 through 13 separate agrifood tourism initiatives developed by local authorities in rural areas following a competitive process under the CEDRA rural innovation and development fund. These awards are managed by the local authorities, with a view to targeting specific supports relevant for local area development strategies. In general, the initiatives under the CEDRA rural innovation and development fund aim to energise the rural economy and, in particular, provide support for agrifood tourism projects which may assist rural communities which have taken steps to establish a local rural market to progress to opening stage or to facilitate established local rural markets to develop and maximise their potential and expand. The rural innovation and development fund will continue in 2017 and it is my intention that agrifood tourism will remain a key theme. I will reflect on the specifics of the Deputy's contribution in this regard.

Support for local markets is also provided through the departmental agency Bord Bia, with the provision of information assistance and publicity via its website for local food, country and farmers' markets. It includes a list of farmers in country markets and a guide to food markets in Ireland. Furthermore, recognising the need to assist small Irish food and drink start-up producers and traders in developing their market produce and brands, the support of skills and best practice for market organisers is also provided by Bord Bia. One such scheme is the voluntary good practice standard for farmers' markets that promotes good market governance and food safety and labelling compliance, while at the same time encouraging regular farmers' markets to be held in local communities that stock a substantial proportion of locally produced seasonal produce.

A new and important support initiative to support farmers' and country markets which starts in November is a series of regional workshops designed by Bord Bia to help stall holders to sell better at farmers' markets. The workshops aim to give practical solutions to challenges that all market sellers may encounter. They cover key areas of the market business and provide an opportunity for existing and prospective producers to network and share their experiences. Funding is also available through the Leader programme which in the next five to six years will have €250 million available for rural communities and represents 7% of the rural development programme budget during the period. Local authorities have some community support grants which may be of benefit to the type of project the Deputy is advocating.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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People in the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's constituency of Donegal, the Minister's constituency of Cork North West and my constituency of Cork South West have a particular appreciation, as most people do, that, despite the availability of shops such as Argos, Amazon and IKEA, there is nothing akin to visiting a house or calling to see somebody and being given something home made when leaving, whether it be a pot of jam, a loaf of bread or a cake. It is this experience people the length and breadth of the country crave and they chase it by coming to these markets.

As the Minister outlined, I come from an area where there is a very strong and proud tradition of food production in the towns I have the honour to represent. That is why the markets are so popular in my area, as they are everywhere else and, as the Minister acknowledged, throughout the Continent. In fairness, Cork County Council acknowledges this and is making an effort. It is taking public submissions in setting new by-laws and regulations, but there is always a big health warning attached to regulations because there is a danger that we will overregulate the golden goose which is laying the egg and choke it out of existence. A very small producer of pots of jam could be wiped out by unnecessary bureaucracy. Therefore, we have to be very careful on this level. While I acknowledge the Minister's response and thank him for it and the existing funding, I ask him to accept the premise of what I am saying, that we need to move beyond giving assistance to the promotion of the markets. We need to provide proper infrastructure to take full advantage of this fantastic asset and the value they bring to those who use them, the traders who sell their produce and tourists, as well as of the social vibrancy generated in the heart of towns. We all pay lip service every day of the week to the issues we would like to address, including mental well-being. This would be a very practical step to take and I hope the Minister will support me in my endeavours.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I will reflect on the points the Deputy has made in the context of the budget that is available for 2017. It is possible to assist in ways other than those in which we have assisted to date. They include measures to provide the hardware necessary to support farmers' markets and those to which the Deputy referred. They include the provision of street furniture, awnings to provide shelter not only for stall holders but also customers, as well as water and electricity on site instead of being poisoned by fumes from generators. All of these issues can be progressed through the grants scheme in conjunction with local authorities. If it is the case that we need to tweak or redefine the scope of what is assisted under the CEDRA rural innovation and development fund to enable this to happen, I am certainly prepared to look at the matter in the Department. It is a relatively modest fund, but in conjunction with local funding it might be possible to deliver on the Deputy's objective. It would be a service to the food sector. In value terms, in the Republic of Ireland alone local artisan food production is worth more than €760 million a year.

By giving it an appropriate shop window we will give country markets the best possible opportunity and that is what the Deputy wants to progress.