Martin Heydon
Kildare South · Fine Gael · Ireland
“In the time allotted to us, I would say we will not be able to cover everything in CAP. To take the last point first, the budget is everything. While it is not part of my negotiations as chair of the AGRIFISH Council, it is a key focus of the Irish Presidency.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. A key focus of Food Vision 2030, the shared stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector, is to grow the value of Irish agrifood exports in international markets, which, as I outlined earlier, we have been very successful at in recent years.”
“All producers selling raw milk must register with my Department and are subject to risk-based official controls that include inspection, audit and sampling.”
“Whether it is farmers with particular issues that are leading to environmental issues or issues with structures that need to be replaced, we are very lucky to have capital support in agriculture. I really believe in our TAMS structure.”
“I was delighted to be able to introduce the tillage sustainability support scheme earlier this year. I have not been found wanting in standing up and supporting a tillage sector that has been under pressure in recent times. The same applies to horticulture.”
“Following the publication of the report, I wrote to the chairperson of the board on 22 June 2026, requesting that the board develop a timely and effective action plan to address the recommendations in the report, and I will be seeking regular updates on its progress. I want to see these recommendations implemented and progressed.”
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“As recently as yesterday, the Minister of State raised this matter at a meeting of the Council and called for the EU to take a strong position to protect our critical mackerel stock. He has done the same in previous Council meetings. The 2026 quota outcomes reflect the continued balancing act between maintaining viable fishing opportunities and protecting fish stocks in line with scientific advice under the Common Fisheries Policy. For Ireland, this reinforces the importance of maximising value from available quota and maintaining high standards of quality and market positioning.”
“This reduction in fishing opportunities will present ongoing challenges for fleet planning, processing throughput and coastal communities that are highly dependent on specific fisheries. While the scientific advice is disappointing and, above all, concerning, it is important that we remember that the science is a reflection of what is happening to our stocks. The reduction in the scientific advice for mackerel reflects the impact of overfishing of the mackerel stock by certain third countries. Ireland has long been critical of overfishing by other countries and has been vocal about the inevitable outcome that has now come about with regard to the state of the stock.”
“The outcomes of the 2025 December meeting of the AGRIFISH Council resulted in severely reduced fishing quotas for 2026. This was mainly due to reductions in the scientific advice for key stocks, particularly mackerel. This is in addition to a 41% reduction in blue whiting, a 22% reduction in boarfish and further reductions in nephrops, which are more commonly known as prawns. These reductions were further compounded by Ireland not receiving its Hague preferences. Ireland’s fishing opportunities for 2026 amount to approximately 120,000 tonnes, with an estimated first-sale value of €205 million across the main pelagic, demersal and nephrops stocks for 2026. This represents a decrease of €100 million to €105 million on the estimated value of the 2025 quota.”
“The EU negotiates with third countries in order to agree on fishing opportunities for shared stocks for the following year. The European Commission has sole competence to negotiate with third countries on behalf of the EU on the setting of fishing opportunities. This is done on the basis of a mandate from the Council. Ireland fully engages in the process of setting this mandate to ensure our priorities and concerns are highlighted with the Commission and with other member states. The conclusions reached in Brussels in December are a culmination of these bilateral, trilateral and multilateral negotiations with third countries. The scientific advice issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES, forms the basis for setting total allowable catches, TACs.”
“I will share my time with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. I thank the Deputies for seeking the opportunity for statements on the fishing quotas for 2026. The Minister of State and I welcome the opportunity to further discuss this important issue and the concerns that continue to affect our fisheries and seafood sector. The reduced level of quotas available for 2026 has caused considerable concern not only for the fishermen and fisherwomen directly impacted by reduced fishing opportunities, but for the wider seafood sector. Nearly all of the commercial fish stocks for which Ireland holds quota are shared with third countries, predominantly the UK. Only two stocks for which Ireland has quota, the sole and plaice stocks off the west of Ireland, are exclusively EU resources.”
“We were the last of the European countries to be in that space, so there will be some relaxation of how we operate with that from July onwards. The roll out of vaccines will be a commercial decision for farmers. My role was to make it available and make sure we engaged with vaccine companies so that stock would be available. It is a commercial decision and we continue to work on that basis. I thank my colleagues for engaging constructively on this matter. My door and the door of my officials continue to be open. We want to reassure farmers and consumers that there are no health or food safety concerns around bluetongue. This is a production disease that has significant concerns for farmers. I will continue to work with my officials across the Department and with other countries to minimise the worst impacts of this.”
“Are cattle safe if they are housed? It is related to the activity of midges. The temperature needs to be constantly north of 12oC for the disease to be able to travel in midges as vectors. Can humans spread it? No. Can birds spread it? No. What are we doing in Wexford? The height of surveillance being employed is across the board and not just in Wexford. It is across the country, as is the tracking and tracing. An important point to make is that there will not be large-scale restrictions in the summertime because the disease is being recategorised in July across the EU. That will make life easier for us in some ways. It was not something we wanted when we were free of this disease. We wanted to be able to identify as quickly as possible. We did not want to lose our disease-free status, but now it is gone.”
“We have changed some veterinary health certificates around disease status. We have been working on that for the past two years and we continue to do that around a range of different diseases. Deputy Healy-Rae questioned how midges survived from Northern Ireland to Wexford. Our very strong sense is that this infection did not come from Northern Ireland. It is not connected to the outbreaks in Northern Ireland but is much more likely to have come over on the wind from England or Wales. During the warmer weather, we monitored the wind patterns with Met Éireann and UCD. Midges blowing over the Irish Sea was a much more likely cause of this spread. The first animal that tested positive was in a field beside the sea, one of the first places it could have landed. It is not likely at all that imported straw is a contributing factor.”
“I agree with Deputy Lawless to a certain extent. It is not positive to have it here, but if we are going to find it, it is positive to have the winter months and the time to prepare and to respond. We will continue to do that in real time. The Deputy also raised the point about bulls. It is a fact that it can be spread by bulls in semen, so it is prudent for farmers to consider blood testing when buying bulls and rams before they go breeding. These are elements that it is prudent for farmers to reflect upon. I agree that it is important not to catastrophise these issues because we will deal with them in real time. Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned specific countries. I prefer not to focus on specific countries but, in general, we work closely between third markets and European markets.”
“Great credit is due for successfully keeping it off the island before now. Let us consider our successful efforts when avian influenza became established here. We got our disease-free status back within three months. When that arrived in November at the start of the high-risk period, there was a very strong sense that we were facing into a very tough winter. The partnership and collaboration between our poultry sector, private veterinary practitioners and our regional veterinary officers really has delivered. The adoption of the enhanced biosecurity measures that I put in place has been important. I agree with Deputy Collins about the need for clear information. I answer every question that I can and my Department's door is always open. He also spoke about the continuing work we do on accessing markets.”
“Deputies O'Donoghue, Whitmore and others talked about climate change. Climate change is a reality and that is why the enhanced biosecurity measures we have in place are important. We are in a changing environment and our warming temperatures and the changes around climate change are leading to what once would have been called exotic diseases becoming prevalent and established here. Deputy Whitmore also talked about expanding the vector sampling needed for climate resilience. My Department has the national animal health surveillance strategy, which guides our surveillance and guides our measures in that regard. Deputies Aird and Callaghan thanked the officials and also spoke about the Chinese protocol, which I have dealt with. Deputy Bennett raised about all-island approach, which I have also addressed. She also spoke about biosecurity.”
“A change in that protocol, regaining market access, would allow Irish food companies to invest in personnel on the ground to build those relationships without the fear of that market continuously ebbing and flowing. As we know, atypical BSE cases will happen sporadically. That is something I continue to work on with my officials. Deputy Newsome Drennan raised the follow-up and surveillance. That has been extensive. She also said that there are questions that need to be answered about tracking and tracing. Our surveillance has been significant and extensive not just in Wexford but nationwide. It was not surprising that I unfortunately had to announce an additional case in this House today. That will happen because the more testing and tracking and surveillance we do, the more chances there are of being able to find it.”
“Deputy Kenny and other Members raised the area of trade, in particular China, and the importance of regaining access for skins and hides. As I did in my opening address, I pay tribute to my officials who deal with market access and our officials in the embassy in Beijing who have worked very closely with Chinese officials in the General Administration of Customs of China, GAC. That is an important avenue and market for us. There was concern here when that avenue was closed to us and while we have made progress on the skins and hides, I continue to work on the area of the broader protocol. The approach to atypical BSE cases, which are completely sporadic and which are recognised by other member states as being one-off, has not in any way impacted on our negligible health status for BSE at the World Organisation for Animal Health level.”
“We also spoke about the inroads we are making here and how we can try to harmonise our approaches in time. There are decisions for Northern Ireland to make in terms of what it allows into its jurisdiction, the same as there are for us as well in that. We have to be cognisant of what we allow in terms of the broader macro picture across Europe because dealing with Northern Ireland is the same as dealing with a member state due to the agreements that are in place. I am meeting Minister in person later this week and we will take the opportunity to engage on this issue, but our officials, including my Chief Veterinary Officer and members of my veterinary teams, are in constant contact with Northern Ireland as well. We are aware of the pressure and stress that this brings in that space.”
“Therefore, how we treat one member state is how we treat everybody. Deputy Fitzmaurice outlined videos online and different elements there. We are very much in the hands of the countries we trade with. From a market access perspective, that is no different from the export certificates that my veterinary teams negotiate with third countries or anywhere else. It is probably more unusual that it would happen in the European context, but from a disease-prevalence perspective that is how we engage. We have closely engaged with Northern Ireland. I had an online meeting with my counterpart in Northern Ireland, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, around where it is at in terms of its restrictions. It is on a different trajectory having identified it earlier before Christmas.”
“It is important that I am able to answer some of the questions from Deputies. A lot of points have been raised. Deputy Kenny was the first to ask about the situation with regard to the North. It was a very clear question. Deputy Carthy and others also highlighted that. It is important to bear in mind that the decisions a member state takes on what it allows into its jurisdiction is a decision for it to make. As outlined in my opening remarks, it is possible to secure derogations to general rules to allow member states to act differently from a disease prevalence perspective. However, different member states cannot be treated differently. If a derogation is given for bluetongue, it is not just for serotype 3, which we have and which is the most prominent one, but it is for serotypes 1 to 24, inclusive, and applies to every member state.”
“I thank all colleagues in the House for taking the time to engage in what is an important debate and asking a number of questions I would be happy to answer. I acknowledge the presence of hill farmers from Galway and Roscommon, as well as the president of Macra na Feirme and other representatives with Senator Brady. In wrapping up, I will come back to each of the points that has been raised directly. I thank the Deputies who acknowledged the meetings I and my officials held and the ongoing engagement with members of the committee on agriculture, which have been important. Everyone has mentioned the stress and strain farmers face. Deputy Carthy outlined the horrendous weather we have experienced in recent times and the stress that brings. We all have a role to play in terms of being able to communicate clear answers.”
“My colleagues in the House will recognise that how we responded to the outbreak and presence of this virus in January, when it was first detected here, was very different from how we would have responded in July. It is a dynamic virus. This is something we are responding to in real time. We are working in collaboration through our regional veterinary officers with our vets and with private veterinary practitioners in support of our farmers, who are very concerned about this. I am delighted to have the opportunity to hear Members’ contributions in the Dáil. I will come back to any points raised in my closing speech.”
“The implication for Ireland is the emphasis will be on movement controls and surveillance rather than disease eradication. I acknowledge the continued co-operation of industry stakeholders with my Department and the work of my officials in the Department who have been very attentive in preparing for and dealing with the incursion of the bluetongue virus. It is important to say that a pretty remarkable job has been done in recent times to keep it off the island up to now, considering its prevalence and spread across Europe and the UK. We were ready. We step-changed our approach according to risk levels. We worked on that basis of high surveillance.”
“Farmers, in consultation with their veterinary practitioners, should consider whether to use BTV-3 vaccines during the spring to protect their stock in advance of any midge-borne virus spread that is possible during the warmer months. In the broader European context, the Commission has recently recategorised bluetongue serotypes 1 to 24 in EU regulations under the EU Animal Health Law, thereby shifting it from a category C disease to a category D+E disease. This change is scheduled to take full effect on 15 July 2026 and will result in bluetongue being treated as a disease under surveillance, as opposed to a disease to be eradicated. This means that under EU legislation, no member state will be able to achieve official freedom from bluetongue.”
“The decision on whether to apply a derogation and on the conditions which would apply if that were done is taken by the importing member state, not by Ireland. I welcome the resumption of exports of cattle hides and skins to China following a temporary pause in trade, which had been a cause of great concern to industry. I acknowledge the work of my officials both here and in the Department who work extensively on market access, but also the team of officials in our embassy in Beijing who have worked closely with officials over there on this important matter. I announced last December that BTV-3 vaccination under licence would be permitted in Ireland from 2026. The high-risk period for infection will be during warmer months.”
“The conditions for the agreed animal health certificates under which cattle and sheep can move to other member states, including Northern Ireland, within the EU for breeding and production can no longer be met due to bluetongue. In addition, the conditions to meet certification requirements for movement to Great Britain cannot currently be met either. Some importing member states have chosen to apply derogations to these conditions, thereby allowing the inward movement of cattle and sheep from countries with BTV-3, such as Ireland, subject to certain additional requirements decided by those member states. As no such derogation is in place in respect of Northern Ireland, the movement of cattle and sheep for breeding and production from Ireland to Northern Ireland cannot take place.”
“Ireland has now lost its disease-free status for bluetongue, which has ramifications for trade and predominantly for the movement of live animals and germinal products within the EU and to third countries. My officials are working to renegotiate veterinary health certificates to facilitate ongoing trade which has been impacted by the loss of freedom from bluetongue, including live animal exports. Much progress has been made in this area, but work is ongoing in respect of some markets. The detection of bluetongue in Ireland has created challenges for intracommunity trade in cattle and sheep. I know this is of particular concern to farmers in relation to the movement of calves and movements for breeding and production to Northern Ireland.”
“My Department is undertaking surveillance across the country to detect the presence of further incursions. While animal movement controls may be required if the circumstances indicate it, based on the information currently available, the veterinary epidemiological risk assessment is that animal movement controls are not necessary. As such, there are no immediate plans to establish restriction zones here. Officials from my Department have undertaken regular engagement with farm organisations and stakeholders across the industry, as well as with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, since Ireland’s first case was confirmed.”
“While this is an unwelcome development, it is not unexpected as this virus has been spreading across Europe and Great Britain and was found in Northern Ireland in December 2025. First and foremost, I assure the House and public that there are no public health risks associated with bluetongue. Bluetongue does not affect human health or food safety, and meat and milk are safe to eat and drink. I acknowledge the stress that the presence of bluetongue must be causing farmers generally, especially in the south east. Bluetongue is spread by infected biting midges, many of which are found throughout the island of Ireland. The high-risk period for bluetongue spread is when temperatures are warmer between April and November. Thankfully, given the temperatures at this time of year, the disease cannot currently be spread by midges.”
“I thank the Ceann Comhairle for slating the really important issue of the situation regarding bluetongue in Ireland and giving me the ability to be able to address the House on it today. Bluetongue is a viral disease caused by bluetongue virus, which can cause severe clinical signs in ruminant species such as cattle, sheep, goats and camelids - alpacas and llamas. There are many different serotypes of bluetongue virus. The most common serotypes found in Europe are 1, 3, 4 and 8. Since the first detection of bluetongue virus in Ireland on 22 January, infection has since been detected in five cattle herds in County Wexford. A further infection was detected last week in a bovine which had been in a number of counties during the possible infection period, and investigations are now ongoing into that case.”
“It is very much a partnership. However, because her name does not appear anywhere on a piece of paper, she does not exist in the eyes of my Department. That is wrong. Those are the types of issues we want to address. We can take practical measures that will highlight the role that women farmers play and encourage more participation into the future. I look forward to working with the Senator and colleagues on that.”
“I am leaning back into the personal element again. Happily, my wife and I continue to farm at home with four young children. I am passionately of the view that my daughter, who is only in junior infants, has every bit as much of an opportunity to inherit that farm as any of her three brothers. They will have an equal opportunity and it will depend on whoever displays the most interest in and passion for agriculture and farming. That is where we need to get to. That is why there are measures we can take. Having ambassadors will allow people to see it and be it. We need more female participation. That participation is there. I know of situations, as the Senator does, whereby the female, perhaps the wife of the husband farmer, is an integral part of the farming system and no big management decision is made on the farm without her input.”
“Rising engagement in formal agricultural learning and leadership has led to an increase in the number of women taking up formal agricultural education. The establishment of the women in agricultural studies award, in association with the UCD school of agriculture and food science, is just one way in which we acknowledge and promote the involvement of women and young girls in agriculture. Through these initiatives, we celebrate women's contributions to agriculture and create lasting structural change, enhancing recognition, participation and leadership.”
“Additionally, the Department funded Making Farms Work For Women, a European Innovation Partnership project. It seeks to foster a more inclusive environment for women on farms and to address physical barriers to sole female farming. Beyond financial supports, a range of initiatives is planned for this year. Our search for a female farmer ambassador for the International Year of the Woman Farmer places women farmers at the heart of our plans for this year. It offers a unique opportunity to represent female farmers, promote existing supports and initiatives, and highlight important issues. I have seen at first-hand the incredible work of women farmers and am confident of the high calibre of entries for this important role. I will announce the outcome at the flagship International Year of the Woman Farmer event in Athlone in March.”
“It seeks to address issues across areas such as leadership, visibility, educational awareness, financial and legal matters and sustainability. Implementation has worked and progressed well under the stewardship of the women in agriculture working group and a final report is expected shortly. I intend to use the platform of the International Year of the Woman Farmer to build on this momentum and further improve gender equality in farming throughout the year. Ireland was one of only two member states to formally include support for women farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, strategic plan. The most significant practical measure to support female farmers is the women farmers' capital investment scheme. It provides an enhanced grant of 60%, up to €90,000, for on-farm capital investments.”
“It is a core element of Ireland's domestic policy framework, including Food Vision 2030, and is central to our wider international development work. The International Year of the Woman Farmer is an opportunity to recognise the vital role that women play across the agrifood sector. It is also an opportunity to target gaps within policy with concrete actions. Ireland is actively engaging with this global initiative by co-sponsoring the official launch ceremony at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, and taking steps domestically to raise visibility, improve participation and expand supports. The outcomes and recommendations of the national dialogue on women in agriculture formed the basis of a 12-point national action plan, which was launched in 2024.”
“I have seen how hard it is for a female farmer in a system that is male-dominated. This is an area about which I am passionate. I am delighted to see the progress we are making on the action plan points. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in both Houses of the Oireachtas to ensure we make lasting change and the cultural change the Senator talked about in her opening address. It is fair to say that women play an essential role in agriculture and agribusiness. However, they can face significant barriers to land, finance, training and decision-making. Gender equality in agriculture is, therefore, a priority of mine and features strongly in the new programme for Government, as the Senator knows.”
“I thank Senator Murphy O'Mahony for raising this important issue, which is very topical in this early part of 2026. Before I answer on the key points she raised, I will say that I am the youngest of three and, unfortunately, my dad died when I was eight years old. Back in 1986, my mother, as a 43-year-old widow, had a choice to make as to whether to set the farm to educate her three children. She insisted on continuing to farm it with me before and after school, morning and evening, because she said that if I grew up on a farm that was set, I would never have a grá for the land. I had that experience of seeing my mother in the mid-1980s as a young female farmer. Many female farmers are there not through planned circumstance but through inheritance as a widow. That experience is not easy.”
“That man has waived his fee and worked gratis, as a matter of public service, because he fundamentally believes in the important role Bord Bia plays. He sees what it has delivered for our farmers, our agrifood sector and for the thousands who are employed in our processing industry. However, for optics, let us just tear the House down and whip up farmers rather than explain the thing to them. The Senator did not want to know the detail here today.”
“The Senator let the cat out of the bag in her supplementary question when she alluded to the fact that it is not about the 1%. It is all about optics. She does not care about the fact that she has sullied a man's name in the Chamber.”
“It is a partnership between the farmers who produce the top-quality food to meet the very high standards set down and the audit system Bord Bia has put in place which allows us to give information to clients at the end and which, in turn, allows our farmers to reach higher value markets. Internationally, Irish beef is not competing on commodity markets with Brazilian beef because we go for higher levels of sustainability. It is due to the very data our farmers are inputting through the audit system that Bord Bia is able to work with Irish food companies to market produce internationally and to attain higher values for Irish farmers. The system is completely integrated. My Department plays an integral role in making sure that we continue to gain access to new markets along the way. The mask has slipped.”
“The fact that Bord Bia is overseeing year on year record growth in the value of our Irish food and drink exports is testament to the fact that this approach is in Irish farmers' best interests and delivers for their bottom line.”
“If the Irish food companies did not agree to what the clients wanted in the deals and did not win the contract, and let us say a food company from the Netherlands, Germany or any other country other than Ireland won that contract, does the Senator think those companies would have hundreds of millions of euro worth of Irish farmers' produce in the deal? No, they would not. That is why these deals are of benefit. We need to explain that to our farmers instead of employing rhetoric to whip them up and trying to jump on a bandwagon. We need to explain the integrated nature of international supply deals and how they benefit Irish farmers.”
“What they need an Irish food company, or any other company that wins these contracts, to do is prove it can access supply from somewhere else. Some clients will actually stipulate the countries or the regions. A company and a client might insist that 1% of produce must come from Brazil but that facilitates the use hundreds of millions of euro worth of Irish farmers' produce. It is only 1% to prove the channel is there if all of the supply from Ireland and across Europe was to face a problem because of a food security scare or something like that on very short notice. If this was about price or conflict of interest, it would be way more than 1%. It is purely about proving contingency of supply. That is why farmers benefit from these trade deals.”
“Built into these highly integrated global international deals that Irish food companies are doing regularly is proof that you have spare capacity of five or six weeks at any given time that can be leaned on tomorrow. If you are dependent on a country like Ireland which is producing the majority of the produce, you need proof there is a contingency. If there was any food scare in Ireland or across Europe, you need to have alternative sources of supply so you will not fail to meet your contractual obligations. To take the example of the pork dioxin issue that happened in Ireland back in 2008, every bit of Irish pork had to come off the shelves overnight. Large clients cannot afford to have that happen.”
“In general, if you take an Irish food company that does a multimillion euro deal with an international client that is to supply Irish food produce to 40, 50 or 60 countries, including countries in the Middle East and Asia, that may be way beyond Europe, Ireland and the UK. If that deal is worth hundreds of millions of euro and the Irish food company wins that contract and ensures the majority of the meat produce in that contract is Irish produce worth hundreds of millions of euro to Irish farming interests, it is obviously in the interest of Irish farmers that Irish food companies win those contracts. More than price and more than anything, what international clients need, particularly since the pandemic, is guarantees of continuity of supply. They can never afford to have a day they do not have supply.”
“I will explain about the work that Bord Bia does in having a quality assurance scheme that our farmers have to meet very high standards for. I know that audit system. I have gone through it myself. It is frustrating, laborious and challenging but it means farmers get a bonus payment for their produce - their sheep meat, their beef and their dairy produce. They get that because we export 90% of the food our farmers produce. What happens internationally is hugely important. Everything Senator Collins is talking about is national and relates to Ireland, which makes up just 10%.”
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to address this important issue in the Seanad. In the context of Senator’s numerous uses of the phrase "conflict of interest" – I did not keep count – I heard no proof offered. I heard rhetoric. Where is the proof? Has Sinn Féin sought a briefing from the chairperson of Bord Bia? The Senator has sullied someone’s name under privilege in this House but has offered no proof. Her party has tabled a Private Members’ motion that will be debated in the Dáil for two hours this evening. I look forward to debating it. At no point did the Senator explain the point. I will explain a few things about international trade deals. I will explain a number of things about the importance for Irish farmers of the work Bord Bia does in marketing the produce the farmers produce to the highest standard.”
“I again urge the IFA leadership to consider this offer from the chairman of Bord Bia because denying IFA council members that same briefing is doing them a disservice too. In the meantime, the chairman has accepted an invitation to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food tomorrow, Thursday, 5 February. That will be an opportunity to hear the detail of the matter. Given its negligent or deliberate refusal to seek a full briefing on the issue before now, it is not a coincidence that Sinn Féin is attempting to suppress that process with a motion before the House here tonight, creating-----”
“The chairman has offered to meet the IFA and its full national council, and all of its county and commodity chairs. I know there are many here. He offered to provide a detailed briefing in relation to the company’s approach to sourcing. To date, this offer has not been taken up. Just over three weeks ago, the Ministers of State, Deputies Grealish, Healy-Rae and Dooley and I addressed the IFA national council in Bluebell for over three hours at its AGM. A lot of different viewpoints were expressed. We listened and responded and while we might not have agreed on everything, I think we all left with a better understanding of each other’s perspectives at the end. This current impasse does not serve farmers’ interests well.”
“-----how much of that contract do they think would involve Irish produce? It is very little, I can guarantee. The Bord Bia board met on Thursday, 22 January to discuss the issues raised and the recent media coverage. I sought and received a detailed report from Bord Bia following that meeting. It is worth repeating that the members strongly endorsed the integrity of the chairman, the transparency of his business and his invaluable experience that has benefited Bord Bia and the wider Irish food industry. There was acknowledgement that there were no legal or governance issues at play. The board had good and thorough discussion of the issues covered in the media and the majority of board members were fully supportive of the chair continuing to serve.”
“As I was saying, if an Irish food company failed to address the contingency supply as part of a contract for a major international buyer of Irish produce, that client company would take its business elsewhere. Imagine for a minute here, with all their shouting and bluster, if that contract had gone to a Dutch, German or any non-Irish food company-----”
“The fact that we are talking about less than 1% of the overall contract demonstrates it is just that, proof of a channel for contingency of supply should a food outbreak break out like we had with pork dioxins in 2008 when every bit of Irish pork came off the shelves overnight.”
“It is a contract worth hundreds of millions to Irish agriculture and one that extends to over 40 markets way beyond just Ireland, the UK and Europe to include the Middle East and Asia as well. Let us not forget that the vast majority of food produced on this island, over 90% of farmers' beef, sheep meat and dairy, is exported. Our industry operates in a global trading environment and that means we have to be responsive to the customers' requirements. The reality is that major international customers require proof of contingency provisions for continuity of supply in the unlikely event of disruption to the supply chain in Ireland or across EU supplies.”