Déirdre de Búrca (Green Party)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, to the House and I thank him for his presentation. I recognise the role played by the Minister of State in promoting the concept of farmers' markets around the country. His arrival into the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is very timely because there is a public appetite for the emergence and development of a much greater number of farmers' markets. This debate is examining the reason the development of those markets is important and there are many compelling reasons for supporting and encouraging good quality and appropriately regulated farmers' markets.

The Minister of State's commitment to the development of farmers' markets is reflected in the programme for Government. The stated objective is to encourage more direct selling from farmer to customer by restoring and promoting a national network of farmers' markets. Members should work towards such a national network. The Minister of State also referred to his intention to hold a forum early next year to bring together city and county managers to facilitate the exchange of best practice in the development of farmers' markets, which is important. He has recognised that the support given to such markets nationwide varies from one local authority area to another. While there is great support for, and highly successful initiatives regarding, farmers' markets in some areas, in others there is not so much. It is important for the city and county managers, who are in a key role, to recognise the economic and other significant benefits of encouraging farmers' markets in their local authority areas and to do everything possible to try to support the emergence of such markets. Representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have met representatives of the organisation for local authority management to discuss the issue.

There are many compelling reasons Ireland should support the development of farmers' markets. One has been raised by previous speakers, namely, the issue concerning Brazilian beef. This highlights the reason we should develop local markets at which producers, farmers, growers, brewers, bakers and those the Minister of State described as food entrepreneurs sell local, fresh and in-season produce to the local community. The concerns regarding Brazilian beef highlight some of the disadvantages of the global market and global food supply chain that has developed in recent decades.

Turning to the issue of food miles, people have become increasingly aware of the threat posed by climate change, the issue of energy security and so on. In this context, the food miles that accompany the transportation of products from other parts of the world mean there is a direct impact on climate change and energy efficiency and security. Moreover, the issue of different quality standards applying in producing countries elsewhere in the world also arises. Consumers who buy such products cannot feel certain about the levels of quality assurance, safety standards and so on to which these food products have been subjected.

The local food markets and farmers' markets make much sense because they are the alternative to buying food, the provenance or origins of which may not be completely clear to the consumer in supermarkets. They are much more intimate and a direct link exists between the food's producer and its consumer. Moreover, there is a possibility and opportunity for a relationship to develop whereby consumers can find out more about the food products, the food that is grown in their local area, what is in season, how the food is grown, its nutritional value and some of the benefits of different food products. A wide range of products is on sale in farmers' markets, including organic fruit and vegetables, home-made bread, jams and cakes, farmhouse cheeses, in which Ireland has developed a niche market, local sausages, organic meat, ham and so on. There is great potential in this regard for consumers to educate themselves further about food, good diet, organic produce and how food is grown and developed in their local areas.

As other speakers have noted, farmers' markets revitalise market towns and bring back life to town centres. Recently, I visited Vienna in Austria. While one hardly would describe it as a town, the city centre was characterised by a wide range of street markets, which seemed to attract many people. There was a real buzz on the main streets and I imagine the high street retailers also benefited from the number of people who obviously were attracted into the city centre by such street markets. Farmers' markets can also make an area much more attractive for tourism and can strengthen the local community because participating in and attending local farmers' markets can be a highly enjoyable social occasion and it helps to retain community identity.

There also are many environmental benefits associated with farmers' markets. They reduce wastage and result in fewer food miles because the food has not been transported for thousands of miles to get to the market. In addition, the food sold at farmers' markets requires less processing, packaging and preserving. As previously noted, it educates the public. Those who shop at farmers' markets find out a great deal more about the products they are buying because they can discuss the food with its producer. Farmers' markets also encourage product diversification because they allow the stallholders and food producers to experiment with new food products and to receive direct feedback on what their consumers do or do not like.

The Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, also noted that farmers' markets constitute an important part of the strategy to develop food security and a much greater level of self-sufficiency in food production in Ireland. Given the rising price of oil and the threat of climate change, this should form a key part of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's strategy in future and the Minister of State is working to ensure this.

A couple of problem areas are linked to farmers' markets and the development of this sector. One has already been mentioned by previous speakers, namely, the issue of regulation. Regulation is often seen as anathema to small food producers because it can hamper, limit and place unfair burdens on them. However, the difficulty with poor regulation or a lack of regulation in the farmers' market sector is the consequential absence of quality assurance or standards that people can be sure are being met. Unfortunately, sometimes traders and food producers may be passing off their food as being home made or organic when this is not the case. Consumers and those who frequent farmers' markets require some form of reassurance that such produce actually is home made or organic. This is in everyone's interests and those local food producers who participate in farmers' markets and who have quality produce to sell have no difficulty with the idea of some form of quality assurance or certification system. This also would protect genuine farmers' markets, as some markets that describe themselves as farmers' markets have sprung up, which more accurately should be described as commercial private markets instead. The Minister of State should comment briefly on this issue and suggest how genuine and authentic farmers' markets can be protected and a distinction made between them and the other form of private market.

The Minister of State also made the important point that local authorities, in supporting the development of farmers' markets, should provide both the space for such markets — usually civic spaces in the centre of towns or villages are the most appropriate — and water and adequate power points, especially where cheeses, fish, meat and so on are being sold and chilling and ventilation facilities are required.

Another issue highlighted by the Minister of State concerned the limited amount of organic produce grown in Ireland. Some farmers' markets have experienced a shortage of food growers and organic vegetable growers. The greater the number of farmers' markets that can be encouraged, the more producers will be encouraged to develop organic produce. This route must be chosen because, as other speakers have noted, the development of Ireland as a centre of food excellence requires the development of our organic sector. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today and I look forward to his response.