Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when will his Department's 2020 Strategy be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3693/10]

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress that has been made in the development of his 2020 Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3692/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 187 together.

For some months now, my Department has been working on the development of a new strategy for the period up to 2020 to ensure that the full potential of the agri-food and fishing sector is realised, as economic recovery proceeds. The preparatory work for this strategy is at an advanced stage as the Department in conjunction with relevant state bodies has completed a comprehensive series of papers on the main sectors. Consequently, I will be in a position to initiate, very shortly, a web based public consultation and submission process. The prepared papers will be used to provide an informed basis for discussion and to assist targeted submissions from interested parties.

I am anxious that the 2020 Strategy will maintain the impetus gained from the very successful Agri Vision 2015 Report and Action Plan. The new strategy, which I anticipate will be completed in the second half of 2010, will take full account of new global and market realities, where agriculture and food are central to the major global challenges of food security and climate change. The plan will focus on the critical issue of competitiveness and how best to maximise the opportunities arising from a growing international food and energy crops market.