Agriculture and Food:Fine Gael has called for the establishment of a new "super food authority" to replace existing food agencies and for a new single Irish food label, Green Ireland, to promote quality Irish produce.
Fine Gael Agriculture and Food spokesman Denis Naughten told the party's annual conference that the new food agency would serve as an umbrella organisation to co-ordinate the activities of An Bord Bia, Teagasc and the Food Safety Authority.
It would operate on the same budget as the existing agencies but would receive a further €10 million a year raised in levies from producers and processors. This money would be used to "pump prime" the Green Ireland label, which would be given to quality guaranteed Irish produce.
"This new label would be the key driver behind the promotion of a new Irish food labelling system which would aim to be instantly recognisable by both domestic and international consumers," said Mr Naughten.
"It would put an end to the crazy situation where we have chicken fillets coming in from Thailand being spread with breadcrumbs here and then becoming an Irish product - that should and would not be allowed," he declared.
Mr Naughten said that Fine Gael envisaged new methods of distribution including farmers markets, the internet and ultimately the franchise of Green Ireland independent food stores. An experimental project is already planned for Donegal farmers to take orders over the internet, pick produce to order and then ship it to customers in Dublin.
Mr Naughten also said the current Government had failed to recognise the threat that foreign imports posed for Irish agriculture.
Some 300 artisan and speciality food firms in Ireland have a turnover of €450 million a year with the potential to double that to €900 million by 2010 if properly facilitated through a less stringent regulatory environment, the conference was told.
