Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 May, 2021 to 31 Aug, 2021
Specific Details
Potato Sector
Intended results
To acknowledge the Minister's recent engagements with the IFA in relation to issues and opportunities for the potato sector.
That an emergency derogation for the necessary plant protection product is granted from 1st August to 1st October 2021.
To summarise:
• The potato harvest will be delayed into the winter months leaving it extremely difficult to get potatoes harvested.
• The level of food waste will be increased and the viability of growing potatoes for storage for the November to June period will be severely challenged due to disease and subsequent storage issues.
• The loss of the plant protection product would have serious consequences for the potential development of the potato seed sector, where plant health is even of greater importance.
• There will be an increase in potato imports, undermining recent industry initiatives undertaken to address this area.
• With five EU countries already having granted permission for emergency use of Diquat, it places Irish growers in an uncompetitive position, if similar authorisation is not secured here in Ireland.
To seek an immediate meeting with the Minister.
To highlight that the product is the only effective product to desiccate late developing crops. If action is not taken immediately, potato stocks may not be available for consumers at the beginning of the season.
To acknowledge the Minister's commitment to assist the development of the seed sector is positive, however, a targeting-based approach needs to be set out immediately
To secure approval for another year under the EU Derogation.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Thomas McKeown IFA Potato Chairman.
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Patrick Donohoe
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Regina Doherty
Senator (Seanad)
Barry Cassidy
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Darragh O'Brien
Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)
Thomas Byrne
Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)
Michael McGrath
Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)