Agriculture to stay in department title, says Taoiseach

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday ruled out removing agriculture from the name of the Department of Agriculture and Food in today’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Agriculture is no longer in the title of similar government departments in a number of other EU member states, where the focus has shifted more towards rural development, consumer and environmental issues.

At the national ploughing championships in Tullow, Co Carlow, Mr Ahern said that agriculture was still a very important industry in Ireland and he would not agree with such a change in the department’s name.