Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1131. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 960 of 7 November 2017, his plans to develop satellite food innovation hubs throughout the State to work in conjunction with the national food innovation hub in Fermoy; if so, if consideration has been given to Naas, County Kildare, as a suitable location for such a satellite food innovation hub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54426/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The primary objective of the National Food Innovation Hub is to create a business innovation network at Moorepark involving dairy companies, Moorepark Technology Ltd (MTL), incubator companies and public-private partnership-based R&D programmes. It will be directly linked to both the Teagasc Food Research Centre and MTL to engender close collaboration between the research centres and the companies located on the Moorepark campus.

My Department is providing €8.8m to support the development of this strategically important project for Ireland’s agri-food sector. When realised it will be a national centre of excellence for the whole agri-food sector involving food companies and research organisations with a focus on food, health and nutrition.

Whilst my Department has no plans to fund similar projects at other locations, a major package of measures was announced in Budget 2018 to help the food industry navigate the current challenges arising from Brexit and to advance the growth objectives of Food Wise 2025.

In the areas of innovation, research and new product development, an investment of €5m is proposed to fund research and innovation in the Prepared Consumer Foods Sector. This critically important sector, which is responsible for exports valued at more than €2 billion, is particularly challenged by Brexit. My Department, working with the sector and with State Agencies, will use this funding to invest in capital equipment to support innovation in the sector.