Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I second the proposed amendment of my colleague, Senator Darragh O'Brien, to the Order of Business. On a more positive note in these times of doom and gloom, will the Leader have a debate on agrifood exports with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, who has taken up the initiative set in motion by the former Minister, Deputy Brendan Smith, in his Harvest 2020 programme? I compliment the Minister's success on his recent trade mission to China, an initiative embarked on by the late C.J. Haughey and followed up on by Bertie Ahern. This is a positive news story.

I would like the Minister to explain to the House how through Bord Bia and Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, we can actually implement the plans for greater agrifood exports. It deserves a lengthy debate. I have read about the Minister's exploits in China. Coming from a fishing background, I was interested to note that he has agreed on exporting boar fish to China. This fish is relatively new in Irish commercial markets. Before, when it was caught by our boats, it was minced up for food for fish farms. This is an interesting development on which I hope we can embark.

China will soon be the greatest economy in the world. There are in excess of 100 million affluent Chinese people with another 100 million close to being affluent. That is a greater market than America and the EU. I hope the Minister, Deputy Coveney, will attend the House for a full debate not alone on his exploits in China but on the agrifood industry and if BIM and Bord Bia can meet the export targets set for the next seven years. This deserves a full debate as soon as possible.