Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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346. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the work of the beef taskforce; if representatives from the retail sector will be invited to take part in the deliberations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53630/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I established the Beef Taskforce to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The Taskforce will provide a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in the Beef Talks Agreement, with timelines and stakeholder engagement.Furthermore, the Beef Taskforce will offer a suitable platform for strategic engagement with key stakeholders, including retailers and regulatory authorities.  

There is a specific webpage on my Department's website dedicated to the Beef Taskforce at www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/beef/beeftaskforce/.  This webpage contains the agreement reached on 15 September, the Terms of Reference for the Taskforce and updates on actions arising out of the agreement.

The first meeting of the Beef Taskforce took place on 3 December. Minutes and update reports from that meeting will be published on the webpage this week.

The next meeting of the Beef Taskforce will take place on 9 January 2020.  Irish and UK retailers have been invited to participate to discuss market trends and requirements, specifically in relation to the Quality Payment System in-spec bonus criteria currently in operation in the Irish beef sector.