Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed on a full-time basis and part-time basis in the mushroom industry in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7002/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department's and Bord Bia's best estimate of those employed in the Irish mushroom industry including growing, marketing and mushroom compost manufacture is the equivalent of over 2,500 full time jobs. Almost 90% of those employed are involved in production of the crop. As the mushroom industry has become more concentrated, and with fewer growers involved in production, the numbers of part-time workers has declined over the years.

The output from the mushroom industry showed a marginal increase in 2011. Irish mushroom exports increased by 2% in 2011 arising from better consumer demand in the UK. This was partly due to the EU/Industry co-funded 3-year mushroom promotion campaign on the UK market, which started in 2011. The medium term prospect for the industry continues to be positive but is still very much influenced by the Sterling-Euro exchange rate.