Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the way he anticipates the 50% growth target for dairy production set out in Food Harvest 2020 can be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40759/10]

Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the timetable he has given the dairy expansion activation group in which to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40760/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 77 together.

I expect that the Food Harvest 2020 target of a 50 per cent increase in milk production by 2020 will be achieved through a focused and determined implementation of the report's recommendations for the dairy sector. These recommendations cover the full range of activities in both production and processing, and include:

the need to improve on-farm competitiveness through, for example, animal health and genetic improvement programmes as well as increased efficiency through education and technology transfer,

the need to ensure adequate capacity and maximum efficiency at processing level, and

the need to facilitate more commercially focused R&D and marketing activities, as well as further research into strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I have previously stated my commitment to leading and driving the implementation of this report. I established, and am chairing, a very focused High Level Implementation Group which will ensure effective, joined-up action, and will act as a clearing house for the range of issues that are likely to arise in relation to the development of the agriculture sector as a whole. I have also recently established the Dairy Expansion Activation Group, comprised of dairy farmers, processors and Teagasc, which I have tasked with addressing the specific actions required to achieve the dairy expansion target. I have asked for an initial 'road map' to be submitted to the High Level Implementation Group by the end of November, highlighting key milestones and identifying how any obstacles to implementation should be overcome.