asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give an up-to-date report on progress within his Department in the development of the food processing industry.

44.

asked the Minister for Agriculture the plans which he has for the development of the food processing industry; and if he is satisfied that the setting up of a new food research centre by AFT in conjuction with the IIRS is adequate to meet the needs of the industry in the foreseeable future.

I purpose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 44 together.

As the Deputies are aware, I have been recently appointed as Minister of State at the Departments of Agriculture and Industry and Commerce with special responsibility for the food industry. In order to help me in my task of ensuring the proper and co-ordinated development of the food industry, I have decided to establish a permanent food committee, comprising of representatives of the Departments of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce and Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry, together with representatives from various State agencies and Bord Bainne to explore ways and means of assisting this development.

There are a range of facilities and incentives available from the State to help the food industry to expand and diversify into value-added products. Substantial grant aid is also available from the EC Commission through Council Regulation 355/77 and in this connection my Department has recently submitted to the EC Commission development programmes for the various sectors in order to provide the framework for the assessment of applications from the Irish food industry for grant aid. I should also point out that, in the recent price negotiations, the Commission agreed, following pressure from Ireland, to lift its ban on grant aid for the dairy sector under this regulation.

Broad proposals for the establishment of a food research centre, amalgamating the food research facilities of AFT and IIRS have been under discussion between these two bodies, but specific arrangements have as yet to be worked out and put to the Ministers concerned. I am satisfied that the range of State facilities for research and development, including those at UCC, are adequater for the needs of the industry. In fact the problem up to now has been the reluctance of the industry to make full use of these facilities.

(Limerick West): Is the Minister aware that it is generally accepted that the whole aspect of the food industry is very fragmented and needs co-ordination? Does the Minister feel that responsibility for the development of the food industry should be solely in his hands as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture in order to avoid the fragmentation which is taking place at present? At the moment the Minister is just a go between for the different agencies.

I do not see my role as being a go between. My role is as co-ordinator of the various bodies involved in the food industry. The bulk of these are already under the control of the Department of Agriculture. It is not a very big job to co-ordinate the particular aspects of the food industry which are not directly under the control of the Department of Agriculture. We have set up a permanent committee. We have a tough job ahead of us with regard to food processing. We do not understimate that. We have done some good work without any brief in the matter. This new appointment will spearhead an important development in so far as the food industry is concerned.