Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of meetings of the Food Agency Co-Operation Council in 2004, 2005 and 2006; the number of times that its successor has held meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3589/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Food Agency Co-operation Council (FACC) met on 20 occasions between 2000 and 2003 to promote co-operation between the State Agencies involved in the food industry. Since 2004 the food development agencies directly concerned with the National Development Plan 2000-2006 have met periodically to assess progress under the Plan. Two meetings were held in 2004 and one each in 2005 and 2006 while my Department was examining future arrangements in the light of changes in the CAP and the 2015 Agri-Vision Report.

Arising from this, the Agri-Vision 2015 Plan of Action, which I launched last year, included the establishment of a high level group of CEOs of food agencies, chaired at Ministerial level. This group subsumes and replaces the FACC. In tandem with this group a Food Industry Committee was also established. The Agri-Vision 2015 Agency CEO Group and the 2015 Food Industry Committee met place in July and November 2006 respectively. Both groups are scheduled to meet again this month. In addition under the Regional Food Fora initiative all the state agencies supporting the food industry have been brought together by my Department at three regional venues in the last year to promote regional and local food enterprises.