Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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4. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 4 November 2021, if he will provide the Bord Bia reconciliation figure that it uses to match quality assured at slaughter with quality assured meat sold from plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60434/21]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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In a previous reply to me, the Minister said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine does not categorise cattle slaughtering by quality assured or non-quality assured, track whether a bonus is paid to farmers or track the tonnage of quality-assured beef exported. As the Minister comes from Donegal, he will know from first-hand, as many of us do, that if something is not monitored it does not happen. Why does he want suckler farmers to sign up to the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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While the Department has policy responsibility for Bord Bia, questions on operational issues, such as the matter referenced, should be directed to Bord Bia for response.

My Department does not categorise cattle slaughtering by quality assured or non-quality assured, or track whether a bonus is paid. This is a commercial transaction between the farmer and the meat processor. However, Bord Bia has confirmed that the vast majority of all beef processed in Ireland comes from quality-assured farms.

Overall, there is great value in the quality assurance structure, which enables us to market our beef abroad. It gives assurance to customers as to provenance and how the product is produced. That will become increasingly important in the coming years to maintain the markets we have and develop new ones. Bord Bia will be engaging with processors and farmers on that. The more ways we can show a monetary return to farmers at all levels whether they are selling sucklers or finished cattle to the factory and the more ways it can be directly translated into the price that farmers are getting, the better. We need continuing engagement on and assessment of that.

It helps in selling our product internationally to give assurance to customers about exactly how it was produced and the steps taken at farm level. Having a verification audit of quality assurance strengthens our overall product. It has been an important plank on which we have developed our beef sector over recent years.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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In an earlier response this morning, the Minister spoke about transparency in the food chain. I have asked him a very straightforward question. We all know how oral parliamentary questions are compiled. His failure to furnish that information here clearly indicates that he is not being given that information from Bord Bia. It brings into question the whole ethos behind the marketing, promotion and sale of Irish beef once it leaves this country. Clearly, quality assurance is not being prioritised by the meat plants. It is not being prioritised in terms of getting a return to the farmer. It seems to me that the quality assurance bonus that farmers are getting is the base price and those who are not achieving the Bord Bia standards are facing cuts in the prices they are being paid.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We need to recognise the importance of quality assurance. As the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, will attest, in the meetings we have with existing customers for Irish beef we see how important quality assurance and providing verification to their customers are for them in making purchasing decisions. It is an important aspect of the offering we have. That is why it is important we continue to develop it and continue to ensure that as many farmers as possible partake in it and are quality assured. It is also important to get continued acceptance from farmers as to the value of it. It also needs to be worthwhile through a monetary return to farmers. As Minister, I very much understand that. I will continue to engage with all stakeholders in the sector to ensure that the importance of quality assurance is made clear. We also need to look at every option available to ensure that farmers are rewarded for their participation.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I accept the importance of providing that verification to customers. However, the Minister has been asked to provide that verification to Parliament and he cannot do that. There is something fundamentally wrong with the system if he cannot provide Parliament with the figures that he says are being provided to customers. They are being provided to customers but not to the elected representatives of every farmer throughout the country. That is fundamentally flawed.

The Minister is asking suckler farmers to sign up to the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme. As he knows, the vast majority of suckler farmers do not finish cattle. They do not get a quality assurance payment for culled cows which is usually the only animals they bring to a processing facility.

Why then is the Minister asking them to do this now? Will he explain why the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme does not transfer from farm to farm? They have to be left for 60 days. It seems to me that when a carcase spends 60 minutes in the back of a truck, it is quality assured.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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On the new carbon suckler beef efficiency scheme, for which I increased funding for participating farmers from €90 to €150 on the first ten animals, I have set a condition regarding participation in the quality assurance scheme. The reason is that it enhances the overall offering and strength of our beef sector. It also enhances its marketability and, thus, its profitability. It takes everyone working together collaboratively to achieve that. I know it can sometimes be hard for individual farmers to see that. Everyone benefits from our sector being strong overall, and from the offering we have being strong and by getting hold of those markets and maximising the value of beef overall. That benefits everyone at farm level, be it a suckler farmer or a finisher, and that is important. I have taken this step to encourage more to go down that avenue because it will add to the overall strength of the sector.