Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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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.

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State on his first visit to the Seanad in his new role. As a good friend, I compliment and congratulate him on his appointment. I know that the agrifood sector is in safe hands and that the Minister of State will not be found wanting. This sector is and has been a good news story. The proof of this was no more evident than in the most recent downturn. When the economy was on its knees, it was this sector and the exports from this sector across the world that got this country back up and running so we cannot be complacent and we cannot take our eye off the ball.

As the Minister of State rightly pointed out in his opening statement, we are in a very volatile position with the geopolitical landscape, potential trade wars and potential tariffs from the US, which is such a major customer, and the knock-on effect of this across the globe so we have to keep our eye on the ball. I know the Minister of State has a large body of work to do in this regard. If we can maintain the current situation, depending on how things work out with the US and the tariffs, it will probably be a good day's work. I compliment the Minister of State on that and on how he has hit the ground running in his new position along with the Minister, who was in Japan last week opening up new markets there, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, who was in Barcelona. While I am from Kilbeggan in County Westmeath, and one will probably not get a more central area of the country, it is important that we include fisheries when we discuss food exports and new markets here today because it is an integral part of the economies of communities along the coast and I am very much aware of that.

Being from Kilbeggan where Kilbeggan whiskey is made, I have a significant interest in the recent progress in and the advancement of our exports in that area. I would emphasise the primary producer. While it is a good news story for the industry, it can be top heavy with the producer and exporter sides and the industry side. A rising tide does not necessarily lift all boats. It may not be as rosy in the garden for the primary producer and the farmer. The Irish whiskey market is a point in case. We have a struggling tillage sector. Irish drinks, including Irish whiskey, are flying all over the world yet the tillage farmer is struggling to get a decent price for his tonne of malt and barley so we cannot leave the primary producer behind.

It is the same with the beef sector. I am not being negative but I am duty bound to represent the grassroots for want of a better word. There is serious frustration among beef farmers when it comes to what is known as the fifth quarter, particularly when we read that we are exporting €126 million worth of offal product, which is the fifth quarter. The farmer brings his animals to the factory and that is all cut away and pushed to one side before the carcass is weighed on which he is paid by the kilogram. Then we read about €126 million in exports. One can see how farmers would be frustrated.

While what is probably the biggest and most important export market that is beneficial right to the farm gate, namely live exports, may not be under the remit of the Minister of State, it should be. This is going to be serious bone of contention. I am a big supporter of live exports. It is what keeps the beef industry honest for want of a better word. There are major issues with animal welfare standards. I am a promoter of live exports to the highest standard of animal welfare. We are an island nation. It is easy for the authorities in continental Europe to bring in laws and regulations that will impede our ability to export our animals on the hoof. They are in continental Europe and we are an island nation, and that has to be taken into consideration. Leaving aside processed beef, it is vitally important that the Minister of State keep his eye on the ball when it comes to the live export trade. It is the rock on which the Irish beef industry is built. We cannot talk about foreign markets and exports without mentioning trade deals. The one that is on the tip of everybody's tongue at the moment is the Mercosur trade deal. Some people stand up and say they are opposed to the Mercosur trade deal. We are an open economy. The Minister of State spent ten minutes reading out a list of the things we export around the world and the amount of money we make. Without trade deals, we would be nowhere. I am pro-trade deal but I am opposed to the Mercosur trade deal in its current format. I am not opposed to the deal in general; I am opposed to it in its current format, particularly if we are going to start bringing in beef from flattened rainforests in Brazil, Argentina and places like that.

Bord Bia deserves mention here today. It is doing a fantastic job around the world. I went on a couple of trips and was lucky enough to attend presentations the board put on with hoteliers and chefs from restaurants to promote Irish beef, lamb and so on. It is doing a fantastic job. It is promoting Origin Green, the sustainable method by which we produce our lamb, beef and pork. It would be totally contradictory to allow the importation of hormone-treated beef into our market, replacing some of our contracts and markets. It is that element of the Mercosur deal I am opposed to. I hope the Minister of State will bring that with him from here.

In our roles on the agriculture committee, Senator Boyhan and I were very actively involved in the introduction of An Rialálaí Agraibhia, the food regulator, which I welcome. I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to enhance and increase that regulator's powers. I hope that is followed through on because it is a vital cog in making sure the primary producer, the farmer, is not forgotten and gets his fair share from the success story that is our food production and food exports.

The protected geographical indication, PGI, was another positive during the term of the last Government. It opens up a lot of markets for us. I compliment those who were involved in securing that at the European level. I have no doubt but that we will have to keep updating things for that indication but it is vitally important that we hold onto it.

I again welcome developments between the EU and the UK. As the Minister of State said in his opening statement, we will keep a close eye on the development of the SPS agreement. It is vitally important. Before Brexit, we were dependent on the UK market. During the whole Brexit debate, all the talk was about whether we could survive with a changed UK market. We have survived but the numbers are dropping every year. It could get worse so we need to keep a close eye on the trade the UK is now doing around the world as a result of being outside the EU Common Market. This development in recent weeks is very positive. The Minister of State will have a role in bringing it to fruition. As he said in his opening statement, we have to keep a very close eye on the SPS agreement but this is to be welcomed.

It is all very positive. I will finish where I started and say that we have to keep our eye on the ball. It is a volatile market and what happens in the relationship between the EU as a whole and America will be a vital input into the success or otherwise of this sector. To go back to Kilbeggan again, the idea of high tariffs on the Irish drinks sector, including whiskey, has been thrown about a lot. That could be detrimental.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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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.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State is welcome to the House. It is my first time to meet him in person. It is my first time to be elected to the Senate but I have always represented rural communities and farmers. I am a farmer myself and have in the past studied farmers' dissatisfaction with where the beef sector was.

I will provide some statistics I am sure the Minister of State is well aware of. The sector is responsible for the stewardship of 4.5 million ha of agricultural land in Ireland and over 800,000 ha of forestry. It consists of 133,000 farms, 2,000 fishing vessels, some of which are smaller than others, and 2,000 food production and beverage enterprises. It employs almost 171,500 people, representing 6.4.% of the total workforce in this country. In an increasingly globalised world, the Irish agrifood sector is a world leader. All of this is underpinned and made possible by the work of those producing the raw material. I am glad Senators have hit on that here. Raw material is produced by farmers and rural communities.

The Common Agricultural Policy is essential to supporting fair and significant income for farmers. The current CAP strategic plan 2023-27 delivers almost €2 billion in supports for Irish farmers and the food sector annually. Ensuring the CAP remains a key priority in the next EU budget or multi-annual financial framework is therefore absolutely essential for our country. If we are to protect the CAP, it is vital we position agriculture and food as major strategic priorities for the European Union. Farmers have a central role to play as food producers, employers and the foundation of sustainable rural communities. We must recognise and defend the essential role they play in building a sustainable Ireland for future generations.

I welcome the visits the Minister, Deputy Heydon, made to Asia in the past month and the Minister of State's visits overseas. Every market we open is another door we open into Europe.

One of the key ways we support the agrifood sector is by facilitating market access. Once that is in place and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine officials have gained access to new markets or expanded availability for producers, then Bord Bia promotes and assists Irish companies in maximising exports. Networking with agriculture is pivotal in these areas. Our new markets include Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Washington, Mexico, Abu Dhabi and, as the Minister of State said, six in Europe. Currently, 17 countries are listed with beef, sheep, poultry and cooked meats. We must not forget the cooked meats sector. In the beef sector, Korea, Vietnam, China and Indonesia are our new markets. In the sheep sector, they are the USA, China, Malaysia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia, of course. In the pig sector, which is very supportive, they are Thailand, India, China and Mexico. For poultry, they are Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Türkiye. For cooked meats, they are USA, Morocco, Canada, Vietnam and Japan. I have named nearly every country in the world. Our product is sought after because we have put in place obstacles that Irish farmers in all sectors must adhere to. Regarding traceability, consider what we have asked farmers to do and the schemes we have asked them to sign up to. There is one thing we can do, which is to produce a high-quality food that not many countries in Europe cannot produce: a grass-fed based food. That is very important when we go to sell our product throughout the world. Our farmers have been asked to do what they have been asked to do in this and sign up to these schemes. They have done it. Let us treat these farmers with the respect they deserve. They produce high-quality food. I am wary of the EU-Mercosur trade deal, as my colleagues have said, where we allow a beef to come in from other countries that do not have the traceability and are allowed to use hormones. If people knew what is allowed in the beef in these other countries, they would not eat it. Our product would be even more sought after in these other countries.

I welcome the trade missions to Korea and Japan. There are 52 million people in Korea and it needs security of supply of food, which includes new meats and deals. The existing market could provide many opportunities. We gained beef access last year and they are looking to import our poultry. They ordered with us in the past year, which means it looks good for the year ahead. The Irish agrifood sector in 2024 exported €39 million worth of products to Korea. However, Korea is the 41st largest destination by value of agrifood export in the scope. It is a huge place with a huge population that we need to grow and expand on in the future. They are taking in 39% dairy products, 19% pig meat, just 19% fish, 12% beverages, which is very low, and just 5% animal feed. If we look at Japan, which has a population of 123 million people, we gained beef access in 2013 and sheep meat access in 2019. Korea is seeking to add poultry. Irish beef tongue, as my colleague alluded to, is very big in Japan. Donegal oysters and Flahavans oatmeal are highly sought after commodities in Japan. Our farmers in this country, as my colleague has alluded to, do not get paid for the fifth quarter, even though we export their products and see companies in this country gain a huge amount of money for the offal that is exported. Farmers in this country do not get paid for it, however. It is something we need to look at. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission needs to step in and see what is happening.

The Irish agrifood sector exports 34% dairy to Japan, along with 28% pig meat, 10% fish, 12% beverages, which again is low, and 6% animal feed. As everybody said, €7.2 billion worth of products is exported to the UK, €2 billion worth to the USA, €1.6 billion to the Netherlands, €1.2 billion to France and €1 billion to Germany. A total of €174 million worth of products is exported to Japan and €39 million to Korea. To support our farmers and the country in general, we must now, with all the upheaval and wars that are taking place, look at Japan, Korea and Australia to see if we can improve, especially on our drinks sector, as some of our colleagues alluded to. We all have drinks companies around us, such as Lough Ree Distillery in Longford and Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, which is a good news story down the road in County Leitrim. These businesses support local communities and have done over recent years. It is vital we support them in this time as we are coming through. We still have India, a huge market we need to look at. Organic food is heavily sought after but I do not think anybody has mentioned it. We support the organic food sector in this country. Our organic food is sought all over the world.

I will finish on this. The agrifood sector is the backbone of this country. I am very passionate about it. It is something we need to support if we intend for rural communities to survive. It is a good news story that the beef sector, the lamb sector and other sectors have done a lot better this year than in other years. However, in saying that, we have seen in recent weeks that the price of beef has fallen, and some farmers have bought beef at a high cost. We have seen the price of lamb products fall even though these products are sought globally. I hope this sector steadies itself and gives security to farmers to stay doing what we do best in this country, namely, produce food of high quality.

Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)
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I am pleased to contribute to this debate that goes directly to the future of our agricultural industry, family farms and rural communities. The agri sector, the agrifood sector in particular, is Ireland's largest and most important indigenous industry. It directly supports more than 170,000 jobs across 135,000 farms, 2,000 fishing vessels and more than 2,200 food enterprises. It is a sector that underpins not just the economic prosperity but the very fabric of rural Ireland - our small villages and market towns, keeping communities alive, businesses viable and tradition strong. However, we have to be honest: not all sectors are experiencing the benefits equally. Suckler and sheep farmers, many of whom farm on marginal land, are seeing their incomes diminish while dairy and tillage sectors enjoy very strong profits. The average income for a suckler farmer last year was just €9,400, and yet the average dairy income exceeded €150,000. That is a staggering gap and a gap we need to close with policy. This is not a new observation; it is a long-standing challenge, but it is a challenge we must confront if we want rural Ireland to survive and flourish.

I want to be clear: Sinn Féin has always fought and will always fight for fairness for small and medium family farms, the people who produce our food, care for our land and keep our communities alive. We must also be frank about the future we want for Ireland's agriculture and agricultural industry in a challenging and changing world.

I will touch on the EU-Mercosur trade deal, like my colleagues across the floor. The deal would allow large volumes of South American beef into European markets. It is a direct threat to family farms here in Ireland, the food standards and the environment. It would undermine the hard-won reputation Ireland has for high-welfare, low-carbon production. It makes no sense for Ireland to pursue climate and environmental goals on the one hand while signing a deal that will destroy rain forests and undermine hard-working European producers on the other. Sinn Féin's position is clear. We reject the Mercosur deal in its current form, and we will continue to fight against it. Importing cheaper, lower standard beef would undercut our producers, devalue their products and disregard all the progress we have made in developing a world-renowned agricultural industry.

We need new markets and strong promotion to help Ireland's agricultural products find new homes throughout the world. We must pursue them in a way that plays to our strengths. Ireland produces high-calibre, grass-fed, environmentally friendly food products, and we should leverage that reputation. Instead of competing on price against low-cost producers, we should secure new, premium markets, develop geographical indicators and add value at home. That means putting resources into our food regulators, Bord Bia, developing strong Ireland-branded products, and strengthening the agricultural co-op model, making sure profits stay in Ireland and flow back to primary producers. We also need to look at supports. The supports must be tailored for those sectors under pressure. We need to reform agricultural payments to reflect that. That means proper supports for suckler and sheep farmers, incentives for diversification and developing new income streams, and a dramatic reduction in the red tape and bureaucracy that currently strangles those in those enterprises.It means addressing unfairness in pricing, strengthening the role of the Agri-Food Regulator and making sure the Department of agriculture is there to support, not to undermine, farmers' ability to do their jobs.

Ireland's agricultural industry is at a crossroads. The choices we make now will determine whether we retain a vibrant family-friendly farm structure or become a land of large corporations and factory farming. It will determine whether rural Ireland can flourish, pass viable holdings on to the next generation and remain a world leader in high-calibre food production.

Pat Casey (Fianna Fail)
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Senators Cosgrove and Noonan propose to share time. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. As all the Seanadóirí have noted, we in Ireland produce food of the finest quality. In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of generating local markets for sustainable local products and services. I will focus in my contribution on farmers markets and the benefit they provide environmentally, economically and socially for local communities. Products and services that are delivered and consumed within the region in which they are created are less detrimental to the environment, as we can easily understand by way of the concept of food miles.

Rossnowlagh farmers market in south Donegal celebrated its first anniversary last week. Enthusiasm is really high among traders and the market is doing a fantastic job of attracting both traders and customers and bringing communities together locally. People are drawn in not only by the local fresh produce but also by the sense of community and the vibrancy of the market. The organisers emphasise the value of building community wealth and keeping people spending money locally. A genuine economic wealth is created, delivered and retained within the community.

Another example is Strandhill farmers market, which had been operating out of hangar one at Sligo Airport for the past 11 years. The old, disused hangar would have been just left there all that time if it was not being used by the market. Recently, unfortunately, the hangar became unavailable as it is now being used by the rescue helicopter service. The final Strandhill farmers market, which was such an important and vibrant part of the local community, took place in December 2024. More than 2,000 traders were supported and nurtured by the market. Many businesses grew products that were initially sold in the market before going on to be stocked throughout the region. There was a lot of indigenous growth. Other traders went on to set up successful cafes in the town.

From listening to traders in my area, with the wild Atlantic raging around us, an issue is the need for permanent structures specifically for farmers markets. Access to hand-washing facilities, power and food preparation facilities is very important. It is really hard to have only temporary structures when the wild Atlantic is blowing. County councillors in both Donegal and Sligo all agree on the need to find a way to fund local authorities such that they can support the creation of permanent structures for the specific use of farmers markets.

The Our Rural Future policy document refers to creating sustainable and cohesive rural communities. To do that, we must support regional rural policy. We need to encourage sustainable tourism, in which these farmers markets play a huge part. People coming to Rossnowlagh and Strandhill really benefit from attending the farmers markets. This is exactly what rural policy should be about. If we are talking about creating new markets for Irish produce, this is one way of doing it.

In the minute and a half remaining to me, I will focus on the need for bilingual packaging on food. We all know the expression "tír gan teanga, tír gan anam". Last year, the Central Statistics Office reported that the number of people using Irish had decreased in the 2022 census. The number of people who have Irish increased but the number using it has fallen. The number who use an Ghaeilge on a daily basis went from 73,000 in 2016 to 71,000 in 2022. This is a shocking state of affairs when it comes to our own language. Bilingual packaging is one measure that could help in this regard. Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, in their election manifestos, undertook to ensure customers' right to be served in Irish and to increase the visibility of the language on signage, packaging and advertising. Bilingual packaging should be prioritised over other initiatives. We can look at economies of scale by first targeting products that have a bigger reach before gradually encouraging smaller producers to introduce bilingual packaging.

This measure will help to ensure people use the cúpla focal. It will take away the fear of speaking Irish for many and allow others to immerse themselves more fully in the language outside the Gaeltacht. The inclusion of Irish with English on food packaging is a straightforward way to raise literacy rates. It will create more opportunities for people to use Irish in everyday situations. People coming here as tourists are delighted to see Irish packaging. It has been successfully done in Canada, where packaging includes French as well as English text. Why cannot we include both Irish and English? Ní mór dúinn a bheith cróga agus ár dteanga a choinneáil beo.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. This important debate is my first opportunity to formally welcome him to the Seanad Chamber.

I have just come from a meeting of the climate committee where we discussed in private session the challenges regarding climate change, biodiversity loss and water quality. No sector in Ireland will be more greatly affected by a changing climate, degraded habitats and disimproving water quality than the farming sector. It is critically important to look not just at new markets but to find something that is distinctly unique to Irish produce and that can be marketed as such around the world.

My constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny is home to some of the finest producers of dairy and beef in the country. We also have wonderful producers like Highbank Orchards, Dizzy Goat Farms and Mooncoin Beetroot, which are looking at both export markets and the domestic sector. My colleague spoke about Irish farmers markets.

A previous speaker talked about the importance of securing funding under the multi-annual financial framework. It is also critically important that we embed in the next CAP strategic plan and the next design of the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, schemes that will support farmers to do the right things for nature, water and climate. They should not just be bespoke schemes that last for five or seven years. They must run on a continuing basis in order that farmers will have certainty that they can have good agricultural production and are also given proper payment for doing the right thing by climate, nature and water. That is hugely important.

We have been talking about branding this afternoon. We can brand a unique Irish product that is based on low-carbon farming and close-to-nature farming, that is, farming for nature, water quality and climate. We could bring a very distinct brand to market that may not be achievable for other countries. That is what consumers want. They are looking not just for organics but for a product that is sustainable.

I would say the same in regard to our fisheries. I met with fishers a number of years ago when we were working to develop the marine protected area legislation. Fishers want marine protected area because they know there is a positive spillover from sites that are protected into fishing sites. We are currently looking at the issue of overfishing of sprat in Bantry Bay. It is a really appalling situation that is impacting negatively on fishers there.

I ask that the Minister of State take away from my contribution the need to look at the sustainability of our produce and the potential for branding that is unique in terms of offering a product based on low-carbon production, good water quality and farming in conjunction with nature. Our marine products will benefit from that, as will our agricultural products from the land. We have something unique in this country, namely, our land, but it has, unfortunately, been degraded over many decades. Some of that is a result of EU policies in that farmers will only do what they are directed to do. Farmers and fishers want to do the right thing but they must be supported to do it.

If we are looking to new markets, it is critically important that we look at all of this in its totality. We must look at the nature restoration regulation and the plan that is about to unfold that will be led by the Government. It can do something unique that will not just protect nature, restore our free-flowing rivers and put in a network of marine protected areas, but will also be able to tie in with having a food product that is of the highest quality, as it has always been, while ensuring we work with nature.Farmers and fishers need to be paid to do the right thing. I again ask the Minister of State to take that away with his colleagues. I wish him well in his work. He has an important task ahead and I know he is up for that task. However, it is critically important that all of the support given in the next CAP strategic plan or the next ACRES needs to be embedded into the system to ensure farmers are supported to do the right thing.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Go n-éirí an t-ádh leis sa phost sa Roinn talmhaíochta. Coming from a beef and dairy farm and having been elected to the agricultural panel, I welcome the opportunity to speak today about the importance of food promotion and accessing new markets, an area that speaks directly to our rural, agrarian economy, our farming families and our national identity. We cannot ever forget the importance of food. Food security will be a massive problem going forward. We see that with the uncertainty we face at an international level. I am also cognisant of the fact that 6% of European farmers are under the age of 35. Generational renewal in farming will be a massive challenge for us. It is something I am discussing with a lot of farming groups across the country and there is no easy solution to this. All of these are threats to food security and our food production and promotion. We have consistently championed Irish agriculture, not only as a cornerstone of our economy but as a foundation of our communities and international reputation. We know that when Irish food does well, rural Ireland does well. The programme for Government has committed us to making Ireland a global leader in sustainable food production. That commitment is not just aspirational, it is being delivered. Since entering government, we have supported the full implementation of Food Vision 2030, which builds on the success of Food Wise 2025. This strategy outlines a clear pathway to increase the value and sustainability of our agrifood exports while supporting farmers in meeting environmental goals. I welcome that the Minister, Deputy Heydon, has recently launched phase 2 of Food Vision 2030, which expands the dashboard to include economic and social sustainability indicators, which of course are vitally important.

We are already seeing the benefits of this. In 2023, Irish agrifood exports exceeded €16 billion, which was a record high. Successive agriculture Ministers have led targeted trade missions to key markets, including China, Japan, the United States and the Gulf states, helping Irish beef, dairy and seafood to reach new consumers. I note that last week the Minister, Deputy Heydon, returned from a trade mission to Japan and Korea, markets we need to continue to explore. These efforts are critical, particularly in the context of Brexit where the Government worked to ensure our agricultural sector was not left overly reliant on the UK market. Diversification in this area has been central to our response and is undoubtedly working. In line with the programme for Government we have also expanded funding for Bord Bia, enhancing Ireland's promotional reach abroad and strengthening the Origin Green brand, a world first sustainability programme. Origin Green is now recognised globally as a benchmark for responsible food production, but it is just the beginning. To stay competitive, we must continue to deepen our access to high-growth markets, especially in south-east Asia and Africa where demand for safe, traceable, premium food is rising. I believe Ireland is uniquely placed to meet this demand. This means continuing to invest in innovation, trade promotion and market intelligence. It means providing support to farmers and SMEs as they transition towards more sustainable practices and respond to new consumer expectations around climate, nutrition and animal welfare. We must also double down on food promotion in existing markets, particularly across the EU where opportunities exist to differentiate Irish produce as the gold standard.

Through Teagasc, the European Innovation Partnerships and the new ACRES, we are helping farmers to adapt and thrive in this changing landscape and holding climate change and environmental issues to the fore. This aligns fully with the programme for Government's vision of agriculture as it is both economically and environmentally sustainable. In mentioning ACRES, and I appreciate that previous colleagues have spoken about it, it is also important, when looking at the multi-annual financial framework, that we ensure from the start through our various ways and Ministers that the current CAP budget is not only maintained but also increased. The CAP budget is of vital importance to our farmers and our way of food production. It is so important that the funding is not only ring-fenced and maintained but also increased. If it is not increased, you are going backwards and looking at inflation. We are hosting the EU Council Presidency in July 2026. I believe the maintenance of CAP funding and the ring-fencing of that budget has to be a cornerstone of our Presidency.

I believe food is more than a commodity. It is a reflection of who we are as a nation. We are an agrarian economy and have been traditionally. When we look at past recessions, agriculture came through and it is important we do not forget that. We need to continue to invest in our food sector to empower our producers and open doors to new markets around the world.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank everybody for their warm welcome. It is my first time in this House officially representing the Department in the role I have. I have been here doing Commencement matters and a few debates for other Ministers. I thank Minister Daly-----

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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A good promotion.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank Senators Daly, Boyhan, Brady, Collins, Noonan and Lynch for their contributions. It is great to hear everybody speak positively about agriculture. I will be honest. When I came into the Department in January this year, I did not know a hell of a lot about the export of Irish produce. I grew up on a farm in the seventies. At that time the only export was live animals. Looking back at the seventies, a short 50 years ago, and where we are at now, that would not have happened without the co-operation of the farmers. I came into the Department and met with the Secretary General, Brendan Gleeson, in January. The first thing he said to me was that farming is a good news story. It is a good news story, and it is important we get that story out there. I take this opportunity to wish Brendan Gleeson well. He is retiring on 1 October. He has had a long and distinguished career in the Civil Service and rose to the top in the Department of agriculture. He has played a huge role in that during the previous Presidency. He played a major role in that, and it is important we acknowledge the tremendous work we do.

For Ireland to export 90% of what it produces in the agriculture sector is something I do not think is achieved anywhere else in the world. It shows the commitment of the farmers and how they have worked all the way along with various Departments. There were tough times for them. They had to change a lot. The most important thing when we sell our produce abroad is that we want to sell a top quality product. We would not have that product only for the co-operation of the farmers. There are a lot of people involved in getting it from field to fork. There was a time the farmers were not getting the prices they should have been getting. There was the person in between who was making the money. Now, I am delighted to see that the farmer is beginning to benefit from the hard work they have done, and it is important we keep that and do not let the prices slip again. Senators are right that the price of buying a young calf to replace the animal being sold will probably increase, but we have to ensure there is a profit margin for the farmer.

It is crucially important we diversify farming and look for new markets. I was in Cambodia recently. It was my first role abroad as Minister of State and it was for the St. Patrick's Day celebration. The reason Vietnam and Cambodia were picked was because we want to open up a new market there. In my role as Minister of State with responsibility for new markets and food promotion I was asked to consider going to Vietnam and Cambodia, which I did. I met the minister for agriculture there and it was interesting. I recently made a trip to County Kerry where I called in to see Kerrygold, which is now Ornua. It was explained to me how it started back in a small caravan in a field, and it has now built up to a multibillion euro company. I also met representatives of Tirlán in Vietnam. They were interested to hear how Ireland got from the seventies up to now. They are technically where we were in the seventies and eighties. They were interested in the co-op movement. We have to acknowledge the tremendous work the co-ops have done here.Tirlán has a huge team in Vietnam and very senior management there. The work they are doing is in conjunction with Bord Bia, which I will touch on shortly, and with the Kerry Group, to get Irish farm produce there. They told me the best thing about selling into these countries is the quality of the product we are producing. That goes back to the other role I have in the Department with the research and development element. I was in Moorepark in Cork recently and the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and I gave an investment of €8.6 million. I was very impressed, when I walked the land with the staff, by the different types of grass they are trying to produce. Senator Noonan will acknowledge that. It is to do with the methane of the animal. A cow goes onto a different field with a different type of grass and then it eventually goes through a machine where they can check the methane that comes out of it.

The farmers have played a huge role in climate action. I am on the Cabinet subcommittee on water quality and it is improving. It is slow but it is improving. There is a lot done and more to do, but the farmers are working. Some farmers have a lot more to do than others, but they are willing to play their part and that has to be acknowledged. I was impressed when I saw the graph up on the wall from the EPA. Its representatives at the meeting acknowledged there is massive improvement and a lot of it is within the agricultural areas.

I was very interested in what Senator Cosgrove said about the farm markets. I was talking to an individual recently who told me he loves going in and selling a fresh product. He does not want to be going home bringing back product and then bringing it somewhere else when it is two or three days out of the ground. He has developed an app and now, two or three days before he goes to the farm market, he gets the order, gets it ready the morning of the market and then he goes in. It is pure fresh product that has come out of the ground that day and that is the way it is going to go forward. I was very impressed with it. He told me his clients are extremely happy because they know the product was freshly picked that morning for them. It is great.

Senator Daly spoke about Kilbeggan whiskey. I met representatives of one of the biggest drinks industry chains in Canada a number of weeks ago. It was arranged by the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, who was in Canada for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. This guy has more than 600 off-licences and turns over $2 billion Canadian a year in drink sales. With the tariffs going on between Canada and the United States, he said a lot of the American drink, like bourbon, is gone from the shelves. He says he sees a huge opportunity for Irish companies to go in and sell there. We are working with him through Bord Bia and I am nearly certain there is a major trade mission being organised to go to Canada by the end of this year to work on that. I have been asked to go to Mexico in the next number of months and that is being worked on.

Talking of trade missions, the Minister was in the United States. It was a successful mission. Is my time up?

Pat Casey (Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is okay for another while.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I thought the clock had stopped.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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The Minister of State is so good. We will listen to him.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I will soon finish up. The Minister had a good trade mission, which is important. The Secretary of Agriculture in the United States has very strong Galway connections and I was delighted to see the Minister present a Galway jersey to her when he met her in Washington. I am hoping she will make a visit to Ireland fairly soon. The Minister was in Japan and Seoul. That was a very successful trip. It was tough going. The mission was arranged when he was in the role I am in so it was important he went and headed it up. To go abroad to try to sell Irish produce is not hard and a lot of that is down to the farmers, the processors and to the Department, its officials and the excellent work they have done. I compliment Bord Bia. I was very impressed when I was at Bloom to see the amount of small companies there. Agriculture is in every single town and village in this country. It has some sort of impact on every town and village from the money that is raised on farms. There was a little company in a small rural town in Galway that employs 15 people. If that was in the middle of Dublin, it would be 300 or 400 people. Fifteen people in a small rural town is a lot. That is what we need to work on more.

The BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry is a huge success. At Moorepark in Cork the big companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola are in there doing their research in these facilities. They use Ireland. That has a lot to do with the investment put in by all previous governments. It is about what they have done, what they have seen and the vision they have for agriculture. As the Secretary General said, let us make and keep agriculture a good news story. It is a good news story. It employs 160,000 to 170,000 people. There are 2,000 fishing vessels. I am not sure, but I think there 133,000 farmers in the country.

I am delighted to come in here, and I thank Senators most sincerely for the invitation. I am not sure whether I covered what everybody said. With Mercosur, it is in the programme for Government. We do not agree with it as it is and it is an issue we are going to continue to work on. The Minister is working with his colleagues across Europe on this.

The Minister is doing a lot of work on the CAP. We had a lot of meetings within the Department. Another good news story came from the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, whom I was talking to yesterday. We are now exporting timber to China, which is hard to believe. It is going into containers. There are 14,000 tonnes of timber being exported to China and a lot of that timber was damaged by Storm Éowyn. It is amazing. He told us there is this special smoke thing that is put into the container that is lit before you seal it. When it gets to the far side it kills all the bugs that could be on the timber. We are, therefore, progressing and making great inroads.

The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, has responsibility for fisheries, as Senators know. He is going to another EU meeting soon. Fisheries is tough, but the SPS agreement with the United Kingdom is crucially important for our trade with the UK. It is our biggest trading country in all aspects, not just farming. It is important we have that SPS agreement because it cuts out an awful lot of the paperwork.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh. Tá an-áthas orm a bheith anseo ar an lá seo. I hope I have covered as much as I can.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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Should all native agrifood have bilingual packaging?

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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Caithfimid Gaeilge a labhairt. Tá an ceart ag an Seanadóir ansin. I will bring that back to the officials.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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That would be great.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank Senators very much for the invitation.

Pat Casey (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. That concludes our statements on food promotion and new markets.