Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he is taking to promote new exports to mainland Europe in view of the fact that there is little prospect of sterling recovering enough to compensate exporters here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4886/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Bord Bia, under the aegis of my Department, is the State agency responsible for market development of food, drink and horticulture. In addition to specific allocations for quality assurance measures and healthy eating initiatives, Bord Bia has a marketing and promotional budget for 2009 of €20m. This has enabled Bord Bia to implement a comprehensive set of promotional programmes and tailored services to assist Irish food and drink companies build additional business in Europe.

In addition, an inter-Departmental Market Access Group comprising representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, An Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Iascaigh Mhara is currently engaged in a co-ordinated effort to identify potential market opportunities for the full range of Irish food and beverages, prioritisation of market initiatives and broader access issues.