Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for their constructive contributions. This well-balanced Bill will ensure the continued development of the Irish food and horticulture sectors, in terms of both development and promotion. The Bill provides for a subsidiary board with separate legal status and representation on the new main board. We are ensuring that horticulture will not be swamped or set aside in any way. It will be strengthened considerably in the new organisation.

The current budget for An Bord Glas, which has done superb work, is less than €3 million. This is a relatively small budget, by any standards, for a national organisation with potential for further exports. Bord Bia has a budget of €25 million, meaning that the new organisation will have a total budget of €28 million. An Bord Glas and Bord Bia are involved in the promotion of Irish food. An Bord Glas, which has a total staff of 12, will be in a much stronger position in a unified organisation with access to a budget of €28 million compared to its existing budget of less than €3 million. It will also have access to Bord Bia's network of offices in many EU countries. Bord Bia's promotions involve individual logos, but An Bord Glas has separate logos. Rather than confusing consumers, we should have a rational identity for Irish food. That will become possible with the merged body.

Currently there is a plethora of quality control schemes and agencies to implement them. There is no need for separate quality control schemes for Irish food, whether it is mushrooms or mozzarella cheese for pizzas. It is all food and it must all be of the highest possible standard and produced under the most hygienic conditions. It must be natural, wholesome food. The new body will provide a better chance to implement important measures such as these.

The Bill ensures for the future that promotion actions both at home and abroad are synchronised to achieve the best possible service for the producer, the consumer and the taxpayer. Senators who have visited food promotion activities, whether in the RDS or down the country, will know that at the Bord Bia stand one sees a well laid out stand, with Irish food looking its best, while the An Bord Glas stand, which is also well done and exceptionally professional, is set up in another area. It is all Irish food and it would make much more sense if it was promoted in a more unified way. The combined expertise of both bodies will be important in the new organisation. Both bodies, with relatively small budgets, have done an excellent job. This performance is due in no small measure to the calibre of the staff involved. They have a particular culture and there is an effervescence to their work. They like their job and are good at promotion, doing much good for Irish food.

The interests of concerned stakeholders will be well served by the amalgamation. These include the staff of the entire horticulture sector, including amenity horticulture. I was glad to hear Senator Quinn and others mention cut flowers. The Dutch are great traders and promoters. When it comes to tulips from Amsterdam, among other things, they really put us in the shade. Senator Mansergh spoke about the fine Irish soil and the good weather we have for producing these items. We should be doing better. At weddings one can see the number of cut flowers being imported into Ireland. The slogan of Fianna Fáil in the last election was "A lot done, more to do." There is a bit more to do.