Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo the warm words of welcome to the Minister of State. I served with him when he was Chairman of one of the committees of the Houses. I am sure he will do very well in his new role. His predecessor, the late Shane McEntee, was hugely popular everywhere, including in this House.

The Bill which I commend to the House is also welcome. It goes without saying Senator Feargal Quinn knows his stuff. He has been an innovator in this field for ages and introduced many innovations, including the provenance measures and the shamrock symbol on receipts to tell consumers how many of their purchases are Irish. At a time when there is criticism of the Seanad for not having expertise, we have leading individuals such as Senator Feargal Quinn who is proposing this Bill and Senator Susan O'Keeffe who has major experience in this area.

I think of Senator Quinn as Edmund Burke did of the New Englanders when he said not mountains of Arctic ice nor the torrid equators knew the bounds of their labours. He was speaking in favour of the New Englanders at the time.

Provenance is important. The horsemeat scandal did a great deal of damage. The Minister of State will agree that it was not good enough that people went on television to say there just happened to be a load of horsemeat in their fridge or some guy was driving by last week and asked them to mind it, like Father Ted saying the money was resting in his account. We want to emerge from this in a much better position than we have from the banking scandal, which we discussed last night, in order that nobody can say the Seanad did nothing when the horsemeat issue endangered our agriculture industry.

As Senator Quinn said, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland was in first to show burgers comprised 39% horsemeat in other jurisdictions. We led the way on that and it is important that we continue to do so. We have the best produce and we need to ensure provenance to prevent fraud and to address health and safety issues. At a time the health sector is tackling obesity issues, it is important that people know what is in the their food and can judge the correct quantities. If we allow this to become a medical problem, it will be hugely expensive. Recent research is warning, for instance, about low fat products in that if one consumes a double helping, one will be worse off than if one had eaten the full fat product. We need this information to be sensible to consumers. We do not want to end up with a fraudulent food industry and obese population.

The explanatory memorandum contains an infographic. I thank the Senator for introducing a new word. It is eminently desirable and worthwhile to get information on own brand products. This is all to do good. It is important to develop our best natural resources through our fine farmers who have the best production methods and to put our best foot forward. It is important not to wait for the EU. That was critical in the banking sector which has done so much to damage our international reputation. There was a doubt about jurisdiction and whether responsibility for what happened on 29 September 2008 lay in Dublin or should have transferred to Frankfurt. Let us not wait to address food provenance. It has been a problem sometimes when Ministers come to the House that rather than taking the national initiative, they say they want to see what the EU does. We are all conscious of that given the country has stepped down from the EU Presidency. Let us take the lead on this ourselves. Senator Quinn has given us the mechanism to do so.

I doubt it will cost much but the Senator can provide information later in this regard. None of these innovations costs much in comparison to the price of food. They will increase the standing of Ireland internationally, protect the health of consumers and protect us against fraud. Unlike what happened in the banking sector, we have to develop ethics in the sector. We will do well in and this will enable the Minister of State while wearing his other hat to promote Ireland as a centre of world excellence in food. I am sure such a Bill is welcome news. We have had adverse publicity in other sectors. Let us make food a more firm sector than finance on which the economy can be based and welcome the success of Glanbia, Kerry Group, Dairygold and the other products mentioned by Senator Quinn.

I am sure the Bill will receive a warm welcome. It goes right back to the early days of the House when people such as Horace Plunkett were founding the co-operatives and developing agricultural education. This is a great step forward and I am sure we will rebound to the benefit and credit of the nation. I am delighted and honoured to second Senator Quinn's Bill.