Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I have been looking for good news in recent times and every now and then I come across some. Agriculture has been a success story, particularly in the area of infant formula. Perhaps everybody else knew this but I did not know that one in seven children in Asia drinks Irish made infant formula. Danone is investing €50 million in a facility in Cork which is due to open shortly and, following its opening, one in five children in Asia will drink Irish made infant formula. The reason I raise this is that we must concentrate on winners. In the past, we have tried to be good at everything but sometimes in business, one finds an area that one can concentrate on and then tries to do something. I am optimistic about the production of infant formula because milk quota are likely to be abolished in 2015. If so, that will present opportunities to expand this market. I understand Irish producers cannot get enough milk and they have to import raw material to make the infant formula. I am not sure whether that is accurate but this rumour has been reported. There are success stories. Let us concentrate on them and make sure we can do more with our winners in the future. Exports of agricultural products to Brazil have increased by 22% in recent years and it is only five years since that market opened. Let us make sure we identify opportunities and concentrate on them.