Madam, - Noel Whelan (Opinion, February 3rd) makes some very short-sighted observations in his piece about the division of responsibilities at Cabinet level.
In fact, agriculture and food form one of the most obvious portfolios. It is the bedrock that supports the food processing industry, not to mention Ireland's largest indigenous exporter, worth €8 billion in earnings in 2006. The sector, and the service employment depending on agriculture, accounts for 320,000 jobs, or 20 per cent of all jobs outside the public service.
Mr Whelan says ministers and departments should be decided on the basis of what would best suit the development and implementation of policy in a modern, rapidly changing country facing a range of new challenges.
I agree. He is actually making an excellent argument for a ministry for agriculture, focused on responding to the unique challenges facing the sector and formulating policy to maximise new opportunities in European food markets and bio-energy crops. - Yours, etc,
PADRAIG WALSHE, President, Irish Farmers' Association, Dublin 12.