Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will he confirm the number of people employed in the agri-food sector here as of 1 December 2012; the percentage this is of the national employment figure; if he will provide a breakdown of those employed as of this date within the areas of primary production, food and beverage manufacturing, and other related activities; if this represents an increase or a decrease on the December 2011 figure; and if so, if he will specify by how much; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55207/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The latest employment figures, available from the Central Statistics Office Quarterly National Household Survey, are in respect of Q3 2012 and they show the following breakdown compared to the same period last year:

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers of people per county who are employed by the agri-food sector as of 1 December 2012, including those working in primary production, food and beverage manufacturing, and other related activities; if he will provide comparative figures for 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55208/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Central Statistics Office’s Quarter National Household Survey, which would ordinarily be used for year-on-year comparison of employment data, does not provide figures at county level.

The most recent such data available is in the attached table which has been specially extracted from the CSO’s Census 2011 results.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the total amount of revenue the agri-food sector has contributed to the economy here so far this year; if he will quantify this percentage in terms of the overall amount contributed by the Irish manufacturing sector to the economy in 2012; if he will outline the percentage of Irish goods and services constituted by those produced by the agri-food industry; the percentage of exports by indigenous manufacturing industries that are from the agri-food industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55209/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Census of Industrial Production data for the most recent year available (2010) showed that the Gross Output of the Food & Beverages sector was €20.2 billion, representing 23% of all manufacturing output or 21% of all industrial output. Furthermore, the output of indigineous food and beverage manufacturers accounted for 51% of all indigineous manufacturing output.

The same data set also shows that exports from indigineous food and beverage manufacturers also accounted for 51% of exports from all Irish manufacturers.

Although the corresponding figures for 2011 and 2012 will not be released for some time the increase in food exports over the last two years, which was put at 25% or close to €2bn, and a consolidation of that position this year could be expected to be reflect positively when they are published.