Walsh at the helm as Ireland’s agricultural sector transformed

First appointed Minister of State for the development of the food industry in 1987, and holding that post for five years, the late Joe Walsh went on to serve as Minister for Agriculture and Food for 10 years (1992-1994 and 1997-2004.).

Upon his retirement in 2004, he noted that there were few other government departments with such a wide remit, encompassing complex international and national negotiations, major legislative initiatives, major financial responsibilities, food safety and consumer protection demands, as well as the requirement to lead the development of our main natural resource industry.

Irish agri-food exports quadrupled, since his first appointment, and Walsh oversaw the strongest ever growth in Irish farming productivity, as the agricultural workforce declined by 17.5% in nine years, from 1991 to 2000.