Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I take every opportunity available to me to promote Irish lamb. Bord Bia, which has specific responsibility in this regard, carries out regular campaigns at home and abroad. This year these included a promotion of new season lamb on the Irish market which commenced on 16 May and extended to the end of June. Bord Bia also undertook a campaign on the important French market over the summer months, aimed at maintaining and increasing market share for Irish lamb there. This campaign was launched by the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, on 11 June 2005. Initiatives such as these play an important role in maintaining and developing markets at home and abroad for Irish lamb, thereby supporting prices paid to suppliers.

Jim Glennon (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on the progress being made on the establishment of farmers' markets around the country. [26162/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There has been excellent progress in establishing farmers markets and over 85 farmers' markets are operating in 22 locations throughout the country. These markets encourage local produce, assist start-ups of new businesses and create local employment and their growth reflects changing consumer preferences for fresh locally produced foods. They give producers an opportunity to meet and sell directly to consumers and offer consumers a more enjoyable shopping experience and greater choice.

My Department, in co-operation with Bord Bia, the statutory food promotion agency is supporting efforts to promote, strengthen and organise the farmers' market concept. Bord Bia provides advice and mentoring assistance to those wishing to set up farmers' markets. In collaboration with Invest Northern Ireland, Bord Bia has published a comprehensive information guide to the running and operation of these markets and this is available on its website.

Following the success of the Food at Farmleigh model, which attracted on average 40 small producers and 6,000 visitors each Sunday from May to October, Bord Bia and the Office of Public Works are examining the feasibility of using selected national heritage sites as possible future venues for farmers' markets. In addition, my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has invited the comments of local authorities on draft guidelines to enable casual trading to be carried on in a way, which is beneficial to the consumer and consistent with good regulatory practice. In Dublin, Bord Bia is currently co-operating with Dublin City Council with regard to the Smithfield regeneration programme with particular emphasis on the development of the fruit, vegetable and fish markets which will provide valuable access for small producers to the Dublin market.

Producers are showing great interest in this area and I welcome the role of the IFA in the recent launch of the Wexford town farmers' market and the Sligo IFA food fair. Leader groups are to be commended for launching the origin farmers' markets initiative, a new cross-Border project to set up farmers' markets in Counties Donegal, Tyrone, Sligo, Leitrim, Antrim and Roscommon and I was delighted to see the opening of a farmers' market in Letterkenny under this initiative. The strategies and activities in place will assist the development of farmers markets in a sustainable way.