Nearly £500,000 will be spent this year by An Bord Glas to increase consumption of Irish grown vegetables and fruit and the planting of shrubs and plants, writes Sean MacConnell. Details of the plan were announced yesterday by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, in Dublin Castle.
Mr Deenihan said that the Bord considered the promotion so important that it is committing nearly one half of its annual budget to the plan. He said there was clear evidence, based on research, of the beneficial effects which increased consumption of fruit and vegetables has with regard to heart disease, weight loss and some forms of cancer.