Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the continued level of investment here in the food sector, including all aspects of the dairy, beef, lamb, pig meat, poultry and fish, with particular reference to the maximisation of employment throughout and the need to ensure a reasonable income in the future for those involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32477/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Food Wise 2025, the ten year strategy for the agri-food sector published in July last year identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and sets out an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes over 400 recommendations on cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness; as well as specific sectoral recommendations.  Food Wise 2025 foresees the creation of 23,000 additional jobs in the agri-food sector all along the supply chain from primary production to high value added product development. While realising this growth projection will be challenging following the UK referendum, a combination of diversification of markets and identifying opportunities in existing markets can deliver long term growth.  

The implementation process for any strategy is vital for its success. I chair the Food Wise High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC), with high level representatives from all the relevant Departments and State agencies. The committee reviews progress on detailed actions on a quarterly basis, in order to identify and solve problems quickly. Stakeholders regularly present to the committee on priorities for particular sectors or themes in enabling and delivering sustainable growth in investment and employment to benefit the agri-food sector.  

Opening markets is a priority.  In 2015 my Department secured market openings for beef in USA, Canada, Iran, Oman and the Maldives, for sheepmeat and pigmeat in Oman and the Maldives, for pigmeat in South Africa.  Extended access to the Philippines market was also secured for beef, sheepmeat and pigmeat and this work continues in close cooperation with producers and industry.  

The launch of the Bord Bia Thinking House in September now offers client companies access to cutting-edge global research and innovation resources.  This facility will be supported by an increase in the number of Bord Bia marketing specialists working in the areas of qualitative research, data mining and analysis, brand and innovation. These complement the range of market promotion and quality services, specialist Bord Bia personnel available to companies and talent development programmes with a high retention rate within the industry.  

In relation to meat, the Meat Technology Centre, hosted in Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, now establishes an internationally leading centre of excellence for meat processing research and innovation.  It will be market-led and informed by leading meat firm stakeholders and expert meat research capabilities through the technology cycle.  Ambitious plans and investment are underway also in relation to fisheries and seafood.  

Enterprise Ireland supports food and drink companies to scale through investment, development of management capability, improving competitiveness and innovation. This includes investments in building Dairy industry capability in the form of Food for Health Ireland (FHI), and the recently launched Dairy Processing Technology Centre. Lean manufacturing and leadership programmes also enhance company capability. Enterprise Ireland also works with international food companies as they develop their activities in Ireland, and seeks to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). In the past three years Enterprise Ireland have approved funding of €138m to the industry between 2013 and 2015.  This support leveraged an estimated investment of €995m by the industry.