Food Research Ireland - Department of Agriculture

MINISTER’S FOREWORD
Food Research Ireland
I am delighted to be introducing “Food Research Ireland – meeting the needs of Ireland’s food sector to 2020 through research and
innovation” co-ordinated by Research Division in my Department under the auspices of the industry-led Food Research Expert
Advisory Committee.
Food Research Ireland will play an important role in supporting the growth targets set out in Food Harvest 2020. Since becoming
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I have wholeheartedly embraced Food Harvest 2020 and I am totally committed to
ensuring it is a success. I believe that this research strategy, that aims to guide State investment in food research, will provide the
scientific knowledge required to underpin new products and new processes as well as assure the safety of food we supply to our
valued customers at home and abroad We need to ensure we back up the food we are producing with sound science and robust
research. This is necessary so that Ireland can be ahead of the game, a world leader, in terms of food research.
I am very impressed by the level of stakeholder consultation that has occurred in the development of Food Research Ireland and I
believe that it is through ongoing collaboration and partnership between the industry, regulatory authorities and academia, that the
research objectives contained herein will be delivered for the benefit of our nation. I am delighted that the recently finalised report
of the National Research Prioritisation Exercise has recognised the agri-food sector as an opportunity area and that public research
to underpin it is prioritised in the science and technology budget. Despite current budgetary constraints, I am adamant that research
and innovation within the agri-food industry requires funding in order to achieve the targets set out in Food Harvest 2020.
Of course, in such difficult economic times, there will be a requirement for the industry to increase their investment in research and
innovation to complement the investment by the State. I appreciate that this will put additional pressure on the sector but I believe
that the full potential of the export growth opportunities can only be achieved through commitment from both the public and the
private sectors. We will also need to lever more funding from the EU research funding mechanisms and optimise Irish participation
in other international ventures such as Joint Programming.
Finally, I would like to thank the Food Research Expert Advisory Group for their hard work and dedication in putting together this
comprehensive plan and I look forward to seeing the impact of the research investments.
Simon Coveney, TD Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
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