Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., at the launch of the Food Harvest 2020 report, at Backweston Campus, Celbridge, Co. Kildare on Monday, 19th July, 2010, at 11.00am.
Is mór agam a bheith ar ais i mBacastún ar maidin chun an straitéis ollmhór seo d’fhorbairt thionscal an agraibhia agus na hiascaireachta in Éirinn a sheoladh.
Tá treoirphlean ag an earnáil agraibhia anois chun é a threorú isteach sa deich mbliana amach romhainn. Teastaíonn treoir ó gach earnáil chun a fhorbairt a stiúradh agus a chur ar an eolas, go háirithe earnáil ar nós agraibhia atá chomh lárnach sin don gheilleagar.
It is a great pleasure to be here this morning in Backweston to launch this major strategy for the development of the agri-food and the fishing industry in Ireland.
Importance of the Agriculture Sector in Ireland
The agri-food, drinks, fisheries and forestry sector has, in recent years, been taken for granted by some commentators.
The sector was seen as being part of the past, rather than relevant in a 21st century Ireland.
Some didn’t see it as being at the heart of our future economic success.
However, we know that this is simply not the case.
It is worth pausing for a moment to consider some of the facts which tell us just how important the agri-food sector is;
This is a sector with an annual output of more than €24 billion.
This is a sector which directly employs more than 150,000
people,with many other jobs supported indirectly.
This is a sector with exports of goods worth up to €8 billion to
over 160 countries around the world each year.
It is an embodiment of the type of export-led recover which the
Government is pursuing.
Looking ahead, our future economic growth will undoubtedly be driven by exports of goods and services stimulating activity and employment throughout the rest of the economy.
And this is exactly what the agri-food sector delivers to our economy.
Food Harvest 2020 report
For this reason, I am very pleased to be here today to launch the Food Harvest 2020 report.
The agri-food sector now has a blueprint to see it into the next decade. Every sector needs a roadmap to guide and inform its development, particularly one as central to an economy as agri-food.
Most importantly, it needs a strategy that has been deliberated upon and devised by knowledgeable and experienced stakeholders.
I know that the Harvest 2020 Committee, ably chaired by Dr. Sean Brady, is such a group.
I commend their active involvement in this process and their admirable commitment to this sector.
Sean will shortly outline some of the report, and my colleague, Minister Brendan Smith, will also share his thoughts on how we can bring the recommendations in this report to life.
For my part, I believe this is an opportune time for this report to be published and delivered upon. It forms part of a bigger picture – part of the national framework we are putting in place to steer our economy back to full fitness.
The Government is working to provide the conditions which will allow Irish-based businesses to sell goods and services, both at home and abroad.
We are also supporting growth in targeted sectors through appropriate incentives, direct investment and enterprise policy.
And I believe we have done this consistently with regard to the agri-food sector.
The Government’s efforts to support and encourage the sector will be given new impetus and direction by this report. But fundamentally, sustainable growth and jobs must come from the efforts of industry stakeholders themselves.
The fact that this report significantly focuses on what the industry can do itself to exploit its potential, makes it all the more valuable and noteworthy.
Links to the Smart Economy Framework
This report fits very well within our Smart Economy Framework, and reflects many of the ideas which came from the Innovation Taskforce.
Innovation is about producing goods and services in new ways, to address new needs, to access new markets and to create more sustainable and cost-effective business models.
For the agri-food sector, working smarter and more innovatively is key to maintaining competitiveness and growth.
In this regard, I have long believed that our green image should be fully utilised to differentiate our products on international markets, and that the sector should work to further strengthen the scientific and marketing basis for this image. I know the Committee shares this view.
Agriculture and Europe
On a European level, I was particularly concerned to ensure that sufficient recognition be accorded to the important role of agriculture and the food and drinks industry – and the part it has to play in Europe's future growth and job creation as part of the EU2020 Strategy.
In view of this I, along with a number of other Heads of Government, pressed strongly to make agriculture and food an important component of Europe’s Strategy for the coming decade. I am pleased that the conclusions adopted by the European Council on the EU 2020 Strategy reflected my view.
In pressing this issue at EU level, we were not seeking any special status for food and agriculture, but simply to have its essential role recognised.
Agriculture is a primary industry where Europe, and especially Ireland, has real advantages over our competitors in terms of quality and safety standards.
Agriculture underpins the food and drinks sector, which is Europe's largest manufacturing sector, a point that is often forgotten. There is a strong consensus among international forecasters that global demand for food will grow strongly in the coming years, and it is important that Ireland, and the EU, positions itself to secure a share of that growth and the jobs it will bring.
It is this view also that animates the report being launched here today. I believe that, with commitment from all stakeholders to deliver on the many recommendations in this report, we can expect the agri-food, drinks, fisheries and forestry sector in Ireland to play a significant part in future growth and job creation.
I pledge the full support of my Government for the effort to realise the vision in this report. I have asked Minister Brendan Smith to personally lead the implementation process for Food Harvest 2020 and to ensure a fully joined-up and integrated Government response.
I believe there is real intent on the part of the private stakeholders in the sector to similarly step up to challenge of implementation.
Together we can ensure that the vision and ambition set out in this report is fully achieved and the sector’s potential contribution to our economic, environmental and social well being is fully realised.
Thank you.