87. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of the initiative to increase the amount of flour milling in the State and the necessary increase in the acreage of wheat grown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19101/26]
Sentiment score: 0.19
I am glad the Minister and two Ministers of State are here to take the question. Will the Minister provide details of the initiative to increase the amount of milling flour produced in the State and the necessary increase in acreage of wheat to be grown for that? I say this in a positive way. I hope with the Minister and two Ministers of State that we can have some good news on this now.
Sentiment score: 0.57
An-tábhachtach.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Minister for the reply. I welcome the news of the plan to develop four flour mills. There is huge financial potential here and gain for producers and jobs and employment. A total of 80% of our flour is coming from Britain, as the Minister knows. During the crisis with the beast from the east, the freak freeze, we almost ran out of flour and bread. The total cereal production in the State, while it was up last year by 10%, that was mainly due to good weather at the start and end of the season, as opposed to the year before. There are huge risks there. We understand that. In terms of costs and that, the costs of fertiliser and fuel have increased. We are very vulnerable in terms of our food security. We are only three days away from a crisis at any time. This is a real opportunity for farmers and for jobs. There are environmental benefits and economic benefits for farmers, jobs and food security. Laois is very good wheat-growing territory. I know south Kildare is as well - the wheat plains of Kildare - but Laois has wheat plains as well. I strongly ask the Minister to consider Laois as a location. There are over 70 acres there of land for industry that is unused by IDA Ireland. I am asking the Minister to make this a priority, right on the edge of Portlaoise on the crossroads of Ireland, the M7 and the N80. You cannot get a better location. It is on the railway line. It has a strong case.
Sentiment score: 0.17
We have a strong tradition of milling flour in Laois. Odlums in Portarlington is one of the few places in the country now doing it. That is there. There is potential for it to be developed in the county. An economic report was published this morning by Alan Ahearne, former adviser to the US Federal Reserve and a former adviser to Micheál Martin, as I understand it. He stated that foreign firms are producing six times more than Irish firms in this State. They produce three quarters of all exports. He stated that there are huge risks to the Irish economy. It is great to have foreign firms. This is not an argument against that and I do not want it to be taken as that. What I am saying is that it is very lopsided. Our economic development has been lopsided for years. There are huge macroeconomic risks there because of that in terms of corporation tax and other risks. As I said, there are the environmental benefits, the economic benefits - jobs, food security and all those benefits. Laois, Kildare and Carlow lost the sugar beet. We should not have lost it and should not give up on it altogether. I welcome what the Minister is doing. I ask him strongly to consider a location in Laois for flour production. We have 70 acres there for it.
Sentiment score: 0.14
88. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the length of time that the Government and his Department are allowing for the review to be completed into governance at Bord Bia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19098/26]
Sentiment score: 0.01
It is important that the review to which the question relates be expedited fairly quickly.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I am trying to figure out the length of time it will take. The Minister said that it will start with procurement and that the review will begin by the end of April, is that correct?
Sentiment score: 0.00
It will begin by the end of April.
Sentiment score: 0.00
That is better again. That is good news. It is obviously a concern because it is fair to say there is a confidence issue there. There has been a big breakdown in relations and that needs to be addressed. Bord Bia is central as a body to promote the quality of Irish food and quality is the key word here. In any outcome, we cannot have a food safety and promotion body that promotes the high standard of food produced here because of high regulations and standards and have someone at its head who is importing produce that is produced at a lower standard. Quality is key not only for farmers but for shoppers and consumers as well. Something that might be looked at is a more rigorous vetting regime for the heads of State boards.
Sentiment score: 0.21
The Minister said that the end of April is the completion date, and that is very welcome. Normally when we hear about reviews, they to go on forever and a day. As a result, I welcome the fact that there is a bit of urgency about this. Farmers' participation will be central to it. We have to learn from the fiasco that we have had over the last few months. We all need to look at what happened there and try to move forward in a more positive way.
Sentiment score: 0.18