Written answers

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Action Plan for Jobs

Photo of Michael McCarthyMichael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

530. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the number of actions targeted at the agri food sector that were undertaken in 2012 as per the Action Plan for Jobs 2012; if he will name the actions concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2575/13]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 2012 Action Plan for Jobs included 17 Actions which have specific reference to the agri-food and fisheries sectors. Details are set out it the following table.

No.
Action
1Promote 'co‐opetition' projects within the food industry, encourage B2B business,
facilitate mentoring by larger food companies of smaller companies.
2Ensure completion of industry projects awarded aid under the Dairy, Beef and
Sheepmeat Funds and ensure the implementation of a range of additional major
company expansion projects approved over the last 24 months.
3Attract graduate talent into marketing roles within the food industry in line with the
targets set out in Food Harvest Milestones for the Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship.
4Work closely with the industry to develop their plans to deal with the increasing supply
of raw material projected in Food Harvest 2020 and support the development of
increased scale and value added processing.
5Drive the technology capability of the industry, and progress the establishment of
further industry and third‐level research collaborations in the food sector, taking into
account the outcome of the National Research Prioritisation Exercise.
6Review the Food for Health Ireland collaborative research centre and develop a plan for
future support.
77 Implement incentives and measures to improve skills, farm structure and scale set out
in Budget 2012.
88 Progress the development/licensing of large scale offshore finfish aquaculture sites in
line with the road map set out in Food Harvest 2020 Milestones report.
9Involve more food businesses in the Teagasc Food SME Technology Support
Programme which targets start-up companies, growing enterprises and artisan
food producers.
10Win additional foreign investment from multi‐national food companies and assist food
multinationals already in Ireland to win more projects.
11Research, map and add to the food incubation space potentially available in industry
and State agencies for use by existing and new food entrepreneurs.
12Complete DAFM, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia scoping exercise on the market
potential for delivery of new food and nutritional products and models of service to
older people.
13Create over new 150 jobs in the seafood sector by 2014 through the expansion of 18
seafood processing companies with investment supported by grant aid from BIM.
14Run a number of business market development ventures, including two significant
projects in 2012.
15Achieve Food Harvest 2020 milestone targets for participation in Enterprise Ireland's
Lean services and the Leadership4Growth CEO Programmes for food companies.
16Ensure continued industry participation in the implementation and review of the
strategic research agendas (SRA) for food and primary agriculture ‐ Food Research
Ireland and Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research and
Innovation(SSAPRI)
17Fund further collaborative inter‐institutional research in line with Food Research Ireland
and SSAPRI, to help underpin the sector and deliver the growth targets in Food Harvest.

All of these actions were progressed by my Department with the active collaboration of the Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc, Bord Bia and BIM. Progress was monitored on an ongoing basis by the Food Harvest 2020 High Level Implementation Committee, which I chair.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.