Victor Boyhan (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, to the Seanad today. We go back a hell of a long time. I will not tell anyone here but we have known each other for many years and we have soldiered together on many things in politics. I very much look forward to engaging with him today on all aspects of his brief. As he has said, his brief is primarily focused on food production, new markets, and research and development at the Department of agriculture. He has a very formidable team up there. As a member of the Oireachtas joint committee for the last five years, I know of the work of Department officials and I know the importance of collaboration and working together with them. We will have our challenges but it is important that we work together with the team there. I wish them all very well. The Minister of State has great experience in agriculture but also in rural communities. It is really important that someone in such a role has that background in rural communities and in the marginal agricultural land within rural communities the Minister of State knows so well. The Taoiseach's choice in appointing the Minister of State to this portfolio was timely and it is exceptionally welcome. I wish him well.

As the Minister of State knows, the agriculture and food sector is actively pursuing a transition towards more sustainable and technologically advanced food systems. That is critical to the development of sustainable food and food practices. This involves embracing smart farming solutions, enhancing food safety standards and fostering greater collaboration across all aspects of the agricultural sector. In his opening statement, the Minister of State made reference to the latest CSO figures, which I think relate to 2024. These show Irish food exports now reaching a record value of €19.15 billion. What a fantastic story and achievement that is. We do not celebrate or talk about that enough. That €19.15 billion confirmed by the CSO is a real stand-out figure. I salute all the people involved in that. It is not an easy task. It requires great effort, collaboration and co-ordination.

As we know, approximately 90% of our beef, sheep meat and dairy products are destined for international markets. What does that tell us? International markets are critical. Our food attachés, ambassadors, counsellors and embassies are gates that can be opened and represent opportunities that can be taken. The Minister of State touched on the attachés in his speech. What are our plans for more of that because trade missions are critical? Last week, we heard about the Minister coming back from Japan. The other day, I spoke about the success of that trip at the fisheries committee. The Minister of State was in Cambodia and Vietnam in March. That is really important. We have to continue to go out and sell. We cannot sit on our laurels but 90% of our beef, sheep meat and dairy products are destined for international markets and that has to be commended. As the Minister of State has said, dairy remains our largest export category, followed by beef. Who does not love Irish beef or, for that matter, Irish dairy products?

Quality is important but what is also important is our reputation, which the Minister of State mentioned. Our reputation is vitally important if we are to keep these standards. That is what people ask for. It is really unique. Our grass-based production and traceability systems are known the world over. We must pride ourselves on those systems and defend and protect them at all costs. There are many who challenge our grass-based system. There are many who detract from it but it is what the international market wants and it is what it respects. Traceability and integrity around food are vital and contribute greatly to the success of our agriculture industry.

I talked about collaboration and the Minister of State touched on Bord Bia. I will take this opportunity to salute Bord Bia. Anyone who was at Bloom will have seen the showcasing of artisan and local food and small, medium and large food enterprises.

I cannot let this opportunity to go without commending our mushrooms. Over 90% of our mushrooms are exported. Our mushrooms are going out to Paris within days of being picked. Irish-produced mushrooms are going to London to Sainsburys and all of the other stores. It has not been easy at a time when there are controversial issues in respect of peat and challenges in respect of the growing medium for mushrooms. I commend Teagasc on the very significant work it has done and for the pilot schemes and research. Senator Paul Daly and I have gone to Monaghan and Ashtown to see the mushrooms. We have seen some of the trials run by Teagasc. There are really progressive and ambitious targets to address the challenges around peat in the horticulture sector for soft fruits, flowers and ornamentals, although it is primarily an issue for the mushroom sector. I wish Teagasc well in that.

The Minister of State talked about the Department of agriculture counsellors and attachés. If he has time, I would like him to expand on that. What are his plans because this is a critical link? It is about people on the ground in the countries that matter to us. The Minister of State led a trade mission to Vietnam. It is clear that we and the Minister of State have more work to do to open up pathways for the beef trade because there are challenges in Cambodia and Vietnam and right across Asia as regards meat, including pork. They are exciting. We have to be ambitious and tap in to that. Will the Minister of State touch on that? I acknowledge the Minister, Deputy Heydon's, work and trade missions. He was in Iceland and by all accounts it was a successful trade mission. The fishing sector, which Senator Daly alluded to, is an important part of this. We had IBM in at the fisheries committee yesterday to talk about its strategy, its plan and its performances in 2024 and they were very impressive. We need to continue to be equally ambitious.

The Minister of State mentioned comprehensive dialogue with the USA. I fully agree. We have to have dialogue and meaningful engagement with anybody who wants to engage with and buy our produce. I wish the Minister of State well in that.

We have to keep an open door towards our closest trading neighbour and partner, the United Kingdom. Within that, there is vast potential. There have been setbacks in relation to Brexit but there are also options. We are a collective in terms of the European Union in our aspirations and objectives regarding agriculture. We are also members of a collective in negotiations and we cannot be jumping ahead with bilateral arrangements. We are in a union. There will be many challenges next year with the Presidency for Ireland and I foresee great openings in that regard. Let us keep that relationship and dialogue open. I never fail to be impressed when I go to the United Kingdom, particularly Northern Ireland, by the quality of agriculture and food production. There is enormous potential for expansion, greater co-operation and greater synergy through the all-island initiative, which I know the Taoiseach is very much behind. There are opportunities to develop new markets and greater collaboration, research exchange and knowledge transfer. We must never close that door.

Sustainability, traceability and quality in Irish food and innovation is something I talked about earlier. That is critical. Our reputation and integrity is the reason people want to buy our produce. We must always keep that to the fore.

Bord Bia's work is really important. Bord Bia has a talent academy and it equips many of our graduates with the skill sets to drive growth in the food and drinks sector. The drinks sector is enormous. Whiskey is going through a difficult time but there are many new Irish whiskeys. It is a phenomenal business and one that is particularly pertinent to the American market and investment. I am conscious of Chinese investment in Irish whiskey companies. It is a huge growing sector, as is the horticultural industry and sector.

I have some key words for the Minister of State to take on board, though not necessarily to touch on today. These are the challenges as I see them. These are the tasks and asks that will be critical to the success of his time in this Ministry. They are innovation, sustainability and Origin Green. At the heart of Origin Green is sustainability. I commend Bord Bia on that. Smart farming is really important, as is food safety. We could go on for weeks about Food Vision 2030. We have to track and monitor it. There are systems in place and a dashboard has been introduced, which is a great tool for people tracking and monitoring the success of that. It is about technological advancements in the sector and national strategies. It is about collaboration and co-operation with the national strategies. It is about agri-enterprise. We do not use the word "enterprise" enough when we talk about agriculture. Agriculture, like anything else, is a business. There are feed-offs and enterprise opportunities there. I thank Teagasc for its education and training. I commend this booklet that has just come in on Teagasc's research highlights for 2024. There is amazing stuff in there.

The Minister of State is familiar - I know because I visited with him - with Galway BIA Innovator. The Innovator programmes are amazing. I look forward to going down in the coming days to look at the next stage of development of the food hub in Athy, County Kildare. It is exciting.

All of this feeds into successful global markets. Taking advantage of global markets requires global leadership. I wish the Minister of State well.