Farm and food sector ‘must grow’

THE criteria when deciding rural development priorities for the post-2006 period should be a return on investment in income, jobs in rural Ireland and benefit to the community rather than sectoral bailywicking.

Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cuiv said so in an address to the Irish Rural Link conference in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

He said it was obvious that no matter how much money is invested into developing agriculture, the scope for income increase is limited.