Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister and his officials on the hard work that has clearly gone into the preparation of this legislation. The Bill provides for the amalgamation of Bord Bia and An Bord Glas. This should help to provide a much more improved service and allow those who are currently working under the aegis of either body to benefit from the new body's more rounded focus.

The role of Bord Bia is to act as a link between Irish food and drink suppliers and existing and potential customers. The board is currently charged with developing markets for Irish food and drink companies. Basically, its job is to help put Irish food and drink on tables throughout the world, thus bringing a taste of Ireland to as many markets as possible. Bord Bia has performed this role well and should be congratulated on the success it has achieved for food and drink companies. Irish food and drink have a reputation throughout the world for quality and while the companies producing those food products should obviously be congratulated for ensuring those high standards, Bord Bia deserves credit for promoting this positive image.

An Bord Glas on the other hand is concerned with the development of the horticultural industry. Horticulture deals with two main areas: first, amenities, such as trees, shrubs, flowers and bulbs; and, second, the food sector, which deals with the cultivation of fruit and vegetables. The board is also charged with promoting increased consumption of quality horticultural produce, which will help to contribute to healthier lifestyles and improve our environment.

When all these factors are taken into consideration, the need for such an amalgamation is obvious. We need to examine the production of Irish produce in a coherent manner. The best possible overall framework is required in order to promote the growth of Irish fruit and vegetables.

The manner in which the world food market is developing makes this amalgamation all the more essential. If all aspects of the Irish food sector are to continue to enjoy success then there is no question but that we must have such an overall strategy. We must ensure that all aspects of the food and drink industry are working towards the same goal. We cannot allow a situation to develop where one company is promoting the growth of certain fruit and vegetables to the detriment of the best interests both of the economy and society generally. If we were to do that, a situation could conceivably develop whereby both bodies would be operating at cross purposes. That would be a nightmare scenario, which could have wide-ranging effects on all aspects of the Irish food and drink industries.

The amalgamation provided for in the Bill will prevent such a scenario from coming about. It is a natural step that will allow us to make the best use of our resources. Senator Callanan referred to the benefits this move will bring and he also called for the further amalgamation of the new body with Bord Iascaigh Mhara. I agree with that proposal. Further benefits would accrue to the industry if the Minister were to introduce such a measure. As Senator Callanan pointed out, it is the obvious next step but that is a debate for another occasion.

Once the Bill has been enacted, the food and drink industries will go from strength to strength. We will encourage the production of crops that will be best suited to the food and drinks we are producing. In addition, we will be producing food and drink products that make best use of the crops we can grow. Like most of the best arguments, it is a simple one and surely everyone can see its merit. It will help us to make the best use of the limited land available. As a small country it is important to concentrate on the areas that will provide the best return but that will not necessarily happen unless we are all reading from the same script. The various sectors of the food and drink industry — from the growing of raw materials to the manufacturing and marketing sectors — must work from one blueprint towards the same goal of economic success. Such a strategy will ensure that we get the most from what we have and should help the food and drink sectors to make an even bigger impact on the world market. That, in itself, will be a fantastic development.

The Bill is good news for everyone involved, including farmers, food processors and breweries. It is good, also, for those involved in the marketing and sale of Irish food and drink products. The amalgamation of Bord Bia and An Bord Glas, under the terms of the Bill, will bring about a significant synergy of all aspects of the industries involved.