Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)

I want to raise the issue of vital funding to support Team Ireland in the World Butchers' Challenge, a global stage where butchers showcase excellence, creativity and community spirit. It is a thrilling three-hour competition where butchers push the boundaries of craft and innovation. The competition fosters international collaboration, business opportunities and elevates the butcher profession.

The Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland, ACBI, craft butchery apprenticeship, which was established in 2016 is a QQI level 5 two-year programme. It is 86% on-the-job training and 14% classroom training, which is a really good blend that brings real-life experience to the fore. The apprenticeship is helping reverse the decline in the butcher education and skills situation in this country. By way of background, the number of butcher shops has declined by 65% over 30 years and only about 500 independent shops remain, which is a concerning statistic.

The Irish team that competes in the butchers' challenge championship trains most weekends in James Murphy's butcher shop in Carlow completely for free. He has offered them the venue completely for free to allow them to train. They urgently need a venue in the midlands but costs are prohibitive. It cannot be a situation that someone from north-west Donegal travels to Carlow every weekend to train if they get picked for the Ireland team, and that is a logistical challenge we need to discuss.

For context, the Irish team operates on roughly a sixth of the average budget of other nations. Germany invests €250,000 in its team, Australia the equivalent of €300,000, and France €1 million. Ireland is stuck on a budget of €45,000 on an annual basis. Therefore, I urge the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to, one, provide the funding for the rental of venues or support host shops with electricity credits or something to that effect, and two, recognise the value these butchers bring to Ireland's reputation around the world and to our economy, and to invest more heavily in the competition itself for the participants.

As an infamous Waterford butcher said, the small corner shop is the heart of the Irish community, so let us support our butchers who are the fabric of Irish life and give Team Ireland the backing they deserve to shine on the world stage.