Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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201. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the discussion document prepared by Doctor Charlie Spillane, formerly of UCC, entitled Plants for the Future – a National e-Consultation on Priorities & Opportunities for Plant Research in Ireland & Europe; the reason the report was not taken on board by his Department - instead activities such as closing down the Teagasc facility in Kinsealy, abolishing Bord Glas, closing down Warrenstown and de-staffing plant and horticultural research and education facilities at Kildalton to below 1970s levels have been undertaken - in view of the importance of horticulture, and other statements on this issue. [52303/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The “Plants for the Future” discussion document was produced in 2006 by Professor Charles Spillane, National University of Galway with the primary objective of providing Irish input into the development of a strategic research agenda for Plant research in Europe. It was based on an e-survey consultation that was sent to over 800 stakeholders in Ireland, including officials in my Department, from which he received detailed responses from 100 respondents. Following the compilation of this document, it was then disseminated to the stakeholders contacted initially. Further information is available at .

Since then, my Department established the industry based Agri Research Expert Advisory Group (AREA), chaired by Matt Dempsey. The AREA group developed a national strategic research agenda for agri- production research entitled ‘Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research and Innovation’ in 2011. This agenda has guided my Department’s last two research calls and contains a chapter dedicated to Crops research.

The question of the continued operation of Teagasc activities in particular locations is an operational matter for Teagasc. They have decided that Kinsealy is no longer a strategic centre for the organisation given that they also operate from sites in Ashtown and the Botanic Gardens. The move from Kinsealy to Ashtown will allow Teagasc optimize the usage of this Centre where excellent facilities have been developed in recent years. Teagasc believe that they can adequately support the horticultural industry from Ashtown and the Botanic Gardens and through closer co-operation with producer clients to undertake specific research at their facilities.

I believe that the horticulture sector benefited from the merger of Bord Glas with Bord Bia in 2004. It provided Irish horticulture producers access to the wide network of skilled and professional marketing expertise available in Bord Bia offices. The success of this approach is very evident in the range of marketing, promotion and development activities that Bord Bia carry out in support of and in conjunction with the Horticultural Industry on the domestic and export market. An example of this activity is Bord Bia’s annual organisation of Bloom in the Phoenix Park which attracts over 100,000 people and is an event that provides an important platform for the horticultural industry to exhibit and promote its products and services.

The College of Horticulture in Warrenstown, County Meath was a private college, owned and managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco. The decision to close the college in 2009 was taken by the College owners following lengthy discussions and consultation between the Trustees and Teagasc. A process was then successfully put in place to transfer Teagasc supported staff and education programmes in Warrenstown to the College of Amenity Horticulture in the Botanic Gardens. This College is currently being upgraded with new classrooms and student accommodation facilities.

New facilities were also opened in Kildalton College in 2009 following a €4m capital investment. The allocation of staff resources to Kildalton is an operational matter for Teagasc. I understand that staffing levels have been static at the College for a number of years.