James Carroll (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Connick. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on Food Harvest 2020 - A Vision for Irish Agri-food and Fisheries. It is of great importance to the north east. My parish of Monasterboice and the neighbouring areas of Termonfeckin and the Ardee area are great agricultural areas in the north east. People there wish to see the benefits of the proposals. I am heartened to see short, medium and long term goals in the report because they will be essential in future. Key growth targets in the report indicate to those involved in the sector that we are providing leadership, inspiration and targets for them to hit and the direction in which we wish to see them going, which is important.

The Minister and other speakers have emphasised the key growth targets for 2020, the need to increase the value of the agri-food, fisheries and wood products sectors by €3 billion, which represents a 40% increase compared to 2008, and the need to achieve an export target of €12 billion for these sectors. This is very important in the current climate.

As the budget approaches I hear people on local radio and in newspapers discuss fear and concern for the future. However, we should consider what is happening with exports, which are increasing. This is already happening. It is not a plan for the future; it is already taking place and the short and medium term goals feed into this process.

The third key target of increasing the value of primary output in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors by €1.5 billion would represent a 33% increase compared to the average between 2007 and 2009. This is essential for progress in the years ahead.

The report refers to the fisheries sector as well. I have worked in recent months with the fishermen in Clara Head. Previous speakers have referred to a concern, a historical worry, whereby Irish fishermen believe they do not get a fair crack at the whip. When the fisheries deal was signed in the early 1970s in Europe, things were in a very different place in many respects. The idea of different ships has changed a good deal.

The key message to send to people is that no longer are agriculture and fisheries playing second fiddle in terms of where the economy and the country is headed. Agri-food and fisheries represent Ireland's largest indigenous industry. Senator Mooney always highlights issues related to tourism, the second largest Irish indigenous industry. These are the two strands on which Ireland should focus in future. Agri-food alone employs 150,000 people directly with an annual output of €24 billion, a figure which should not be underestimated. People often pass comment or pay lip service and say this area is important. However, it is singular to highlight the direct jobs created and the sheer volume of €24 billion and what this translates to in practice in Ireland. Agriculture also represents 60% of manufacturing exports by indigenous firms. With €7 billion in exports the sector currently accounts for more than half of manufacturing exports by Irish-owned firms. The sector serves in excess of 160 export destinations. This is the beauty of Irish agriculture and Irish products.

As other Senators have noted, when we go abroad we see Irish names and products stacked on the shelves of the shops in hundreds of countries, something we should never forget. The Irish message and brand is so effective abroad. The Irish diaspora are very keen to see Irish names on their doorstep. However, that is simply considering the matter from an aesthetic perspective. This is the reality of what is taking place in terms of creating jobs in Ireland.

I listened carefully to the Minister's opening speech. He is keen on pushing the Food Harvest 2020 report. The fact that he will chair the high level group to ensure the effective implementation of the report's recommendations is important. The presence of a Minister at that level is significant. By having the Minister of State in the House, we are showing the people how seriously we are taking this matter. It is important the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has taken on this role. The variety of membership and the cross-sectoral nature of the membership of the committee is important. Senator Ó Brolcháin mentioned the smart, green approach. These are trendy terms. People ask me what the smart economy means. I explain to them that it means the farmer who is milking more and the businessman who is dealing with his waste or energy bills more effectively and efficiently. That is what the smart economy means on a practical level.

Food Harvest 2020 recommends a smart approach. That means investing in ideas, knowledge, skills and practical matters in being innovative and creative in one's sector. I will listen intently to the conclusion by the Minister of State, Deputy Connick. It is key that we have this goal. We should not do something in the budget that will harm the implementation and effectiveness of this report. This report is energising farmers, not just in County Louth and the north east but throughout the country. If we implement the plan, it could be a fantastic, transformative document for Irish agriculture.