Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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246. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding will be made available in the forthcoming budget for a specific entity (details supplied) for the overall food industry, taking into consideration Food Harvest 2020, as this funding is required to promote Irish food products abroad and secure new markets abroad for such products; the reason this entity is sponsoring a beef and cattle seminar to be held shortly, which is not relevant to the remit of this entity; and if he will urgently consider putting a policy in place whereby sponsorship should be sought from stakeholders from within the industry to sponsor such seminars or events. [44256/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The measures I announced as part of Budget 2015 send a clear signal of the importance I attach to the agri-food sector and its contribution to the economy as a whole. Next year, the budget allocation for Bord Bia, which has a central role to play in improving the profitability of the beef sector across the range of its activities, will increase to almost €30 million. The Government has prioritised agriculture and food as a major economic driver for the Irish economy and much has been achieved. Food and drinks exports reached an all-time high of some €10 billion in 2013, a 40% increase in value terms since 2009.

In terms of support for individual events, Bord Bia reviews and assesses its annual participation in trade fairs, conferences and industry events using criteria including sectoral priorities and client company interest, within the limits of its available budget. Participation at individual conferences, trade fairs and industry events is an operational matter for Bord Bia and the Deputy may wish to contact Bord Bia directly for particulars with regard to the matters he has outlined.