Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 182: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of meetings of the Food Agency Co-Operation Council in 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33801/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Food Agency Co-operation Council met on 20 occasions since its inception in 2000. The council did not meet in 2004 as a number of factors contributed to the difficulties in re-scheduling meetings that year. The food development agencies directly concerned with the food programme components of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 did, however, meet with my Department in 2004 and 2005 to assess progress on the plan in preparation for meetings of the monitoring committee for the programmes concerned.

My Department is examining the role and format of the Food Agency Co-Operation Council, and the manner in which the various food agencies can most effectively co-operate to develop the agri-food industry, in the light of the more market orientated CAP framework, the 2015 agri-vision report and the enterprise strategy report. A number of initiatives are planned at regional level which will see the various agencies engage and co-operate with my Department to develop the food industry. The first of these initiatives, the North West Food Forum — Market Focus for Small Food Enterprises — took place in Killybegs earlier this month. At the forum, significant time was allocated for the agencies to network with the industry's stakeholders and to showcase the services available to assist food company development in the region. Similar events focussed in other regions as well as other initiatives involving inter-agency co-operation to promote the development of the food industry at all levels are planned and will be rolled out in the coming months.