Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Along with Connie Doody I set up Lir Chocolates, a company which now employs 200 people. For 16 years, I worked on a 24-seven basis. Unless a company achieves sales, it will go out of business. Small and medium sized Irish companies need urgent assistance if they are to begin to export. They need stimulus measures that can be implemented immediately. The drive to develop the smart economy is, of course, important but businesses will be empowered by an international trade and investment strategy. I learned the hard way that the home market is too small but if one invests the effort and the shoe leather, it can be done. The Irish Exporters Association proposes an export outreach programme as a core part of its strategy.

At a recent forum in Farmleigh House, Dorene Mallon, who is a participant in Bord Bia's prestigious fellowship programme, made several points regarding the future of the Irish food industry. The food and drink industry in Ireland employs 150,000 people, manufactures two thirds of our indigenous products and comprises almost one tenth of the Irish economy. This bears witness to the capacity of the industry to meet the challenges we face.

Crudely put, Ireland has enviable agricultural advantages for which almost every other country would kill. It has abundant fertile land, lots of water and miles of coastline, all situated in close proximity to 400 million affluent people. We are one of Europe's largest dairy and beef exporters and home to several world class firms and hundreds of food artisans. Global demand for food is projected to increase by 70% over the next 40 years. Despite all the factors in our favour, most Irish food exports are sold as commodities or on a business-to-business basis as food ingredients or for private labels. Irish firms have limited contact with end consumers in foreign markets. This means we are selling our raw ingredients to branded global companies which through their packaging, branding and marketing activities triple the price of our products by the time they reach retail markets. Why are we not investing in the development of Ireland as a high quality food island rather than selling our products at cheap prices to multinational companies?