Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)

I am pleased to have been asked to address the Seanad on aspects of my portfolio relating to food promotion and new markets. I was delighted to be appointed to this role in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine last January. I welcome the opportunity to set out the ongoing work of my Department on food promotion and developing new markets for high-quality Irish produce. It is important to put this work in context so I will first elaborate on the vital importance of agrifood to the Irish economy.

Our vibrant agrifood sector, which includes primary production in farming, fishing and forestry, and the processing and manufacture of food, beverages and wood products, drives economic growth throughout Ireland. It is particularly important to rural and coastal communities. Agrifood is Ireland's oldest and largest indigenous exporting sector, employing over 6% of our total workforce and accounting for 6% of modified gross national income, GNI. Our agrifood produce has a globally renowned reputation for excellence and exceptional quality. Irish agrifood exports reach more than 180 countries. Approximately 90% of our beef, sheep meat and dairy products are destined for international markets. The sector produces food and ingredients with a global reputation for quality and safety, with the livestock sector built on an enviable grass-based production system.

Global demand for high-quality food is increasing with population growth, urbanisation and affluence. The Irish agrifood sector is well placed to play a role in meeting this demand. In 2024, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, Irish agrifood exports reached a record value of €19.15 billion, an increase of 6% in value on the €18.1 billion achieved in 2023 and an increase of 1% on the previous peak levels achieved in 2022. In total, Irish agrifood exports accounted for 8.6% of the record €223.8 billion in goods exports achieved in 2024.

To put the record agrifood exports of €19.15 billion of 2024 into context, it represents a significant 65% increase in value from €11.6 billion in the decade since 2014 and more than doubling from €8.9 billion in 2010. While the exports of multinationals continue to be crucially important to the economy, agrifood will continue to be the bedrock of our exports from indigenous companies. We remember how agrifood was a beacon of economic stability during the most recent downturn. The sector is embedded in local communities, from farm to fork, playing a key role in having greater multiplier effects in the wider rural and local economy.

The agrifood trade figures for 2024 from the CSO agrifood exports totalled €19.15 billion, with our top five export destinations being the United Kingdom, which accounted for 38% of exports by value, the United States, which accounted for 10% and the Netherlands, France and Germany, at 9%, 6% and 5%, respectively. In total, EU countries accounted for 34% of all exports while non-EU countries excluding the UK accounted for 28% of exports.

Dairy remains our largest export category, accounting for 34% of exports by value. In 2024, dairy exports exceeded €6.5 billion, an increase of 2.4% on 2023, largely attributed to butter and cheese. Beef is our second largest export category by value, exceeding €3.1 billion and accounting for 16% of exports in 2024. The export value of beef increased by 4.6% in 2023, with the increase in value largely accounted for by fresh and chilled boneless beef. Our third largest export category is beverages, at €2.3 billion, which accounted for 12% of agrifood exports. The export value of beverages was up €296 million, or 15%, compared with 2023, largely driven by a jump in the value of vodka exports as well as Irish whiskey exports.

Prepared consumer food exports were valued at almost €3.6 billion in 2024, an increase of 7.6%. Prepared consumer foods are value-added food and beverage products which sell to retail and food services and food companies, with Irish produce serving 140 export markets. Meat preparations accounted for 30% of exports in 2024, followed by other food preparations at 11% and chocolate-based products also at 11%.

Of total agrifood exports, food and beverages account for approximately €17 billion, with the food and drink sector accounting for 40% of all export sales by Irish-owned companies. Non-edible exports, including animal feed and forestry products, and other items, such as by-products, animal hides and raw plant materials, account for €2 billion of annual exports.

I am proud to serve as a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the oldest Department in the State. Together with my officials and in collaboration with Bord Bia, we are working to promote high-quality Irish food and drinks and to assist companies in maximising opportunities to export their products. The Department has a team of agricultural counsellors and attachés based in the following overseas locations: Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Abu Dhabi, Geneva, London, Mexico, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul and Washington DC.The overseas team works with colleagues at the various Irish embassies overseas to promote trade development and support market access for high-quality Irish produce in their regions. Bord Bia has 14 overseas offices with 63 staff based overseas. Bord Bia's team at home and overseas work to promote Ireland's outstanding food, drink and horticultural produce around the world. Its activities include participation at food exhibitions and trade shows, digital campaigns, retail and restaurant promotions and other trade promotions and events. All this work is vital in supporting the agrifood sector, particularly given the current uncertainty regarding the political and trading environment.

I acknowledge that our agrifood sector has justified concerns about the political and trading environment. The US is a key export market for agrifood, particularly for dairy products and spirits. However, Ireland and the US have a significant and mutually beneficial economic relationship. The economic benefits flow both ways creating prosperity and jobs for large numbers of people on both sides of the Atlantic. The Minister visited the US in April and had the opportunity to highlight this mutually beneficial relationship with the new US Administration, key political contacts and a number of Irish and US companies. The US Secretary of Agriculture has strong Galway connections. It is important that we build on that.

The current pause in US tariffs and EU counter measures is to be welcomed as it allows for the time and space required for negotiations to take place. Nonetheless Irish agrifood exports are subject to an additional 10% tariff, which is having a real impact on their competitiveness. Our view on tariffs is very clear. We know they are economically counterproductive. They drive inflation and will ultimately hurt consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. This is why Ireland's consistent position has been that we need a substantive, calm, measured and comprehensive dialogue with the US. We fully support the EU in seeking negotiated solutions with the goal of achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade. At the same time, we understand the need for the EU to undertake further internal preparations in case negotiations are unsuccessful. This is a sensible and measured approach.

The current uncertainty and unpredictability surrounding the global trading landscape makes outcomes such as agreements reached at the recent EU-UK summit particularly important and welcome. The agreements reached between the EU and the UK promise a fair and stable future relationship that will benefit the agrifood and fisheries sectors in Ireland and the UK. Having certainty and stability with the UK as a key trading partner will be welcome assurance to all those in the agrifood and marine sectors.

For those involved in fisheries, the commitment to extend the reciprocal access for EU and UK vessels to fish in each other’s waters until June 2038 with no change to existing quota shares provides certainty in order to make sustainable, long-term decisions for their businesses. The commitment towards the negotiation of a sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, agreement between the EU and the UK is also very welcome in terms of its potential to greatly reduce the administrative burden on agrifood businesses exporting to the UK. We will closely follow progress on these SPS negotiations in the hope that they will conclude successfully and in as short a period of time as possible.

Ministerial-led trade missions play a key role in negotiating access to markets and in promoting Ireland’s high-quality and sustainably produced food and drink produce around the world, thereby supporting the agrifood sector’s ambition to develop, consolidate and diversify its footprint in international markets. I have seen at first hand the importance of maintaining the government-to-government engagement afforded by trade missions. During my St. Patrick’s Day mission to Vietnam and Cambodia, I was able to support market access for beef in Vietnam and support our international development agenda in both countries. My meeting with my counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture in Vietnam assisted in moving our beef application along in the process and I am hopeful that we will be able to announce the opening of that market later on this year.

We have had a detailed discussion in the Department on how best to support our grape sector given current global uncertainty. I have engaged in depth with the dairy, meat, drinks and pre-prepared consumer food sectors since taking up my role as Minister of State with responsibility for food promotion and new markets. l am here to support them to develop, consolidate and diversify their footprint across export markets. I have asked my officials to work on a programme of impactful trade events and trade missions for me for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026 and I look forward to updating the House on the outcomes at a future date.