Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1638. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on opinions expressed with regard to the lack of a wholesale whiskey market (details supplied); his plans for policy measures to help develop a wholesale whiskey market; his further views in relation to structural problems in the whiskey market here which inhibit the ability of small whiskey brands to develop the potential of the whiskey industry to mirror the success of the Scottish whiskey industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27741/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Irish Whiskey is currently the fastest growing spirit drink in the world and the industry here has expanded to deliver exports worth €505 million in 2016. Export volumes are projected to increase from 7 million cases in 2014 to 12 million cases by 2020 and 24 million cases by 2030.

Significant investment supported by Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia has taken place in recent years in the expansion of existing facilities, development of new distilleries and marketing.  As Irish Whiskey must, under EU and Irish law, be matured in wood for at least three years it will take some time for increased production to reach the market, but this should improve opportunities for the creation of a wholesale market.  I would welcome any  industry initiative to facilitate the development of a wholesale Irish Whiskey market but I do not have the power to compel individual distilling companies to set aside part of their production for such a market.