Written answers
Tuesday, 7 November 2023
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Teagasc Activities
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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957. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider expanding the role of Teagasc to establish a register of Irish vegetable growers and a specific marketing body through which Irish vegetable growers would supply to and from which Irish supermarkets would be obliged to purchase from, and the Teagasc body would have first-hand information on the cost of vegetable production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48798/23]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Teagasc was established as a state agency under the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, to provide advisory, research and training services in agriculture.
It is important to note that Teagasc has no regulatory functions and any commercially related activities such as proposed by the Deputy are outside its remit, and would only serve to undermine their independence, which is crucial to Teagasc's operations.
My Department and Teagasc both actively support growers in joining or forming producer organisations, which allow them to collectively negotiate with suppliers and customers.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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958. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider allowing Teagasc farm advisors and other independent farm advisors to conduct visits to vegetable farms on a more regular basis to give advice and update growers on research findings which Teagasc conduct at present (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48799/23]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of advisory services to horticulture is a commercial matter in the first instance between the grower and advisor.
Insofar as Teagasc is concerned, its Horticultural Development Department provides integrated research and advisory services to growers on horticultural-related matters. The deployment of Teagasc advisory resources to horticulture and the dissemination of research findings is an operational matter for Teagasc to determine.
Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Teagasc for consideration and direct reply
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