Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1441. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the perceived achievements of the beef forum to date; if he has satisfied himself with its role or is of the view that there is a need for a stronger intervention by his Department to secure a fairer price for beef farmers; the number of occasions the impact of Brexit has been discussed by the forum and the specific measures that have been undertaken to address its impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1396/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Beef Roundtable forum was established in April 2014 in order to bring all relevant stakeholders together and to facilitate open discussion between industry, farming organisations and others on the strategic path forward for the beef sector. As part of the Programme for Government, a clear commitment was given to continue the work of the Beef Forum. I have been engaged in an intensive round of discussions with stakeholders since taking office and listening to their views on the future strategic direction of the beef sector. The Forum is a key aspect of this and has met on nine occasions in total and has been a useful vehicle for engagement for all those involved in the sector.

As a strategic forum the Roundtable is focused on the sector's challenges and opportunities, and many of these have been discussed at previous fora such as for example Brexit, Animal Health changes in other EU member states, opening of new markets and commercial customer requirements. In addition Bord Bia is always present to give stakeholders an overview of the sector including prevailing market conditions, forecast supply data for coming months and years as well as updating on the marketing and promotion activity they are involved in.

A specific key achievement of the Roundtable were the outcomes of the November 2014 forum. Following lengthy discussions and negotiations all attendees unanimously agreed to a set of outcomes for the sector covering many aspects of the production and processing of beef as well as live exports, price transparency and producer organisations to name but a few. The forum has also led to the legal recognition, for the first time in Ireland, of producer organisations in the Beef sector.

With regards to price I must re-emphasise that I can have no role in the influencing of prices for commodities. Questions of price and market specifications are matters to be determined solely between the purchasers and the sellers of cattle. Prices paid for cattle are determined by supply and demand market dynamics and a range of other factors such as currency fluctuations, disposable income, consumer preferences and competition from other meats and sources of protein. However, my Department is playing an active part in the EU's  High Level Group on the Functioning of the Food Supply chain and I look forward to engaging at EU level on the issue of unfair trading practices along the supply chain.

With regards to Brexit, the forum has discussed this issue on both occasions it has met since the UK vote to leave the EU. Brexit will remain an item for discussion for future meetings as its potential impact on the Irish beef sector cannot be underestimated but it must also be said that until a deal is reached between Britain and the EU its final impact will not be clear. There is also a separate stakeholder forum for the discussion of the potential impacts of Brexit which I have established and which includes representatives of the beef sector at farming and processing level.