Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the €2 million allocation to Bord Bia for 2017; his further views on whether this amount will allow the board to properly prepare for the ongoing and growing impact of Brexit on the food industry with the potential job losses associated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2791/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The impact of Brexit on the food industry has initially been in terms of currency volatility and uncertainty, presenting challenges to maintaining hard won markets and a need to intensify the process in recent years of diversifying into new and emerging markets which offer good potential for growth.  In line with their market intelligence and promotion mission, Bord Bia has responded quickly, engaging  with companies and developing a four pillar strategy to provide food and drink companies with market information, advice and practical supports.  The four pillars are Managing Volatility, Obtaining Consumer and Market Insight, Deepening Customer Engagement and Extending Market Reach.  The additional €2 million being provided in 2017, which builds on increased funding in recent years, will enable Bord Bia to undertake a number of activities in 2017, including:

- an export marketing strategy programme to help individual companies to maintain and grow their position in the UK and/or diversify their market reach

- research to identify priority market opportunities

- participation in three new trade fairs in Asia

- increased presence at key shows such as Gulf Food, where space will be doubled, and Anuga in Germany.  

The activities planned build on the supplementary market and business support programmes, which were developed by Bord Bia following the UK referendum and for which additional funding of €1.6 million was made available to Bord Bia in 2016.

Bord Bia is also planning to almost double its drawdown of EU promotion funds to €1.9 million, mainly for activities focused on China.

Skills are an important element in delivering market related research and services.  In 2016 sanction was given to Bord Bia to recruit 20 additional staff.  The recruitment programme is well advanced, with just four positions to be filled in 2017.  These additional staff resources have supported a number of initiatives including:

- the opening of offices in Warsaw and Singapore

- the establishment of The Thinking House , a consumer insight and innovation centre which provided services to over 100 client companies in 2016

- the addition of a trade marketing specialist in Shanghai

- an additional trade marketing specialist in the UK and

- participation in an increased number of international trade fairs during 2017.

At present, a review of staff resources is underway as part of an overall workforce planning exercise by my Department and its agencies.  Bord Bia is assessing priorities and needs and preparing an updated workforce plan for 2017 and the years ahead.  This will include identifying strategies and further measures to support market diversification for food and drink producers and companies.

These Bord Bia initiatives in 2017 will complement an ambitious programme of trade missions, led by my department, in which Bord Bia, development agencies, and food and drink companies will joing forces in a very targeted way.  Our plans for 2017 are ambitious and focused on the industry and the particular challenges facing the sector in 2017.  The situation will continue to be monitored on an ongoing basis and discussed with the sector, including through my Department’s Consultative Committee of Stakeholders on Brexit and the All Island Civic Dialogue.