Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of taskforces which have been created by her Department and their function, size, membership, reporting mechanism and period of existence since 1997. [27820/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The task forces listed below have been set up on issues relating to my Department.

1. Government Taskforce on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

During the 2001 outbreak, a Government Task Force was established at an early stage to address the question of inter-Department/inter-agency coordination. The Task Force was chaired by An Taoiseach or, in his absence, by the Minister for Agriculture and Food, and met early each day during the active part of the campaign and, subsequently, as required. The role of the Task Force included mobilisation of resources and the implementation and coordination of appropriate measures. The Task Force received up-to-date briefings on the position from the Minister/DAF and from other ministers, departments and agencies on issues within their areas of responsibilities. It is envisaged that a similar Task Force will be established in the event of any future threat of FMD to the island of Ireland

The Task Force comprised senior representatives from the following Departments and Agencies:

∙Agriculture and Food

∙An Taoiseach

∙Finance

∙Arts, Sports and Tourism

∙Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

∙Defence

∙Dúchas

∙Enterprise, Trade and Employment

∙Environment and Local Government

∙Foreign Affairs

∙Justice, Equality and Law Reform

∙Transport

∙Defence Forces

∙Garda Síochána

∙Revenue Commissioners (Customs)

∙Aer Rianta

∙Civil Defence.

2. Government Taskforce on Avian Influenza

In response to the threat posed by the spread of avian influenza and the need to coordinate the development of a robust range of contingency measures, a Government Taskforce on Avian Influenza was established earlier this year. It is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture & Food and, apart from this Department, includes senior representatives from the following Departments/ Agencies

∙Arts, Sports & Tourism

∙Health & Children

∙Environment, Heritage & Local Government

∙Transport

∙An Garda Síochána

∙Taoiseach

∙Defence Forces

∙Foreign Affairs

∙Defence

∙Finance

∙Health Service Executive

∙Health Protection Surveillance Centre

∙Justice.

3. Task Force on Agricultural Education & Training

The Task Force was established in November 1999 to examine the training needs of agriculture in the context of a changing economic and social environment and to make recommendations, where appropriate, to address those needs. The report was presented to the Minister and published in July 2000.

There were ten members including the Chairman. The Chairman was a former Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development and the other members included representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, ICMSA, Teagasc, IFA, Waterford Institute of Technology, Macra na Feirme, FÁS, Farm Apprenticeship Board and the Association of Private Agricultural and Horticultural Colleges.

4. The Beef Task Force

The Beef Task Force was set up in November 1998. The remit of the group was to examine and make recommendations on the future of the Beef Industry by drawing up a strategic plan of action for the sector covering the complete range of activities from on-farm production to processing and marketing.

There were 17 members on the Force, these included representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the IFA, the Irish Meat Association, ICMSA, ICOS, An Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, SIPTU and Teagasc. The Task Force reported on the 17th June 1999.

5. The Mushroom Task Force

The task force was set up in December 2003 to arrive at a consensus on the major issues facing the mushroom sector and to devise a timebound action plan to address those issues in order to secure the future viability of the sector. The task force published its report in May 2004. A Review Group has met four times to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the report. The Task Force comprised 14 members from the following Departments and Agencies:

∙Department of Agriculture and Food

∙Enterprise Ireland

∙Commercial Mushroom Producers

∙Producer

∙Bord Bia

∙Bord Glas

∙Walsh Mushrooms

∙Sylvan Ireland

∙Consultant

∙Irish Mushroom Growers Association

∙Teagasc

∙Monaghan Mushrooms.