Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an tAire Stáit. Today marks our second debate on the organic food industry. I welcome the debate and thank the Minister of State for being here. It is important to welcome the progress that has been made. Regarding the food industry, I am tempted to roll out the famous old Fianna Fáil slogan and change it to "a little done, tonnes to do", if the House will pardon the pun. I welcome the Minister of State's developments. The organic food industry is growing and developing and it is important that we acknowledge that.

However, this debate comes at a time when we must all wake up and look at what is happening in agriculture in our country and in Europe and at the direction in which the sector is going. It has consequences for the main Government party regarding its alignment with the liberals in the EU on the renegotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy and what it stands for on that.

More importantly, agriculture and the food industry are in a very precarious position. Many people will say they are in crisis. Farmers and farming organisations will say that morale is low and that, as a nation, we are in difficulty regarding agriculture. I acknowledge that there is potential in the organic food industry and that is important, but it is one cog in the wheel. It is not the most significant issue in agriculture today.