Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to support and maintain the suckler herd; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32732/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish beef industry is worth €1.3 billion in foreign earnings to the national economy annually. Ireland produces over 500,000 tonnes of beef a year and exports over 90% of our production. The sector is very important and its viability is dependent on the quality of production which in turn depends very much on the status of our suckler herd.

I am keenly aware of the challenges facing beef farmers. In our Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan published earlier this year, I recognised the critical importance of the suckler herd to the Irish beef industry and gave a commitment to considering what measures would be required for the suckler herd specifically in the context of decoupling. My Department is now well advanced in the process of developing proposals for measures to support and maintain the suckler herd. I expect to be in a position to give details of the proposals in the context of the publication of the package of measures in the Rural Development Programme which goes for public consultation in the near future.

Other areas where we are already providing support for the beef sector include funding for the National Beef Quality Assurance Scheme accredited to the internationally recognised EN 45011 Standard and assistance through Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation for activities related to cattle breed improvement.