Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the names of all the people and their organisations who accompanied her on her recent visit to the United States; the outcome of the discussions that took place and with whom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18887/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I travelled to the United States on a food business development visit from 28th April to 7th May organised by Enterprise Ireland. I was accompanied from Ireland by the Secretary General of my Department, my Departmental Private Secretary, the Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland and the Manager of the Food and Consumer Division of Enterprise Ireland. In the US I was joined by the Senior Vice President of Food Research and Innovation of Enterprise Ireland (New York) and the First Secretary at the Irish Embassy in Washington D.C. with responsibility for Agriculture and Food.

The purpose of the visit was to secure foreign direct investment in the Irish food industry from the US and to establish food innovation & research networks between the U.S. and Ireland. I had a series of meetings with top-level management in a number of major U.S. companies and research institutions including Glanbia, Altech, Abbot Nutrition, Kerry Foods and University of California (Davis). I also met with top management in Brown Foreman and D.D. Williamson, both of which are US-based companies with substantial operations in Ireland.

While in Washington D.C., I met with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Charles Conner; the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Senator Saxby Chambliss as well as the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Bob Goodlatte. I also met with Congressman Collin Peterson. The issues discussed at these meetings included the situation in the agriculture and food industry in Ireland, the E.U. and the U.S., current policy developments and, in particular, the on-going negotiations on the new W.T.O. round.

In my discussions, I outlined the effect of the on-going CAP reforms, including decoupling and the introduction of the Single Farm Payment. The U.S. side, in turn, indicated its assessment of the possibilities for policy change in the next U.S. Farm Bill. There was also a useful exchange of views on the W.T.O. and the issues arising in the Doha Round.

In discussions with U.S. political figures I also raised other issues, notably the situation of undocumented Irish immigrants and I used the opportunity to outline the position of the Irish Government on the need to find an acceptable and early resolution.