Address by Mr Noel Treacy TDMinister for Science, Technology and Commerceat the Launch of Galway’s Good Food Guideat Clada Group Offices, Headford Road, Galwayon Monday 10th July 2000 at 6.30pm

.I am delighted to be here this evening, to launch this exciting Restaurant Guide for the City and County Galway. With the tourist season now getting into full swing, we especially want visitors to all parts of Galway to sample the delights of our excellent cuisine. This is an important initiative, that will assist in enhancing the reputation of our restaurants, especially among the six million visitors now coming to Ireland every year.

Research shows that people with the best and highest awareness of our food are those that have visited this country. I hope that, as a result of your efforts, tourists will spread the word about our historic and beautiful city and county.

This new Guide, which I am launching here, this evening, features 30 of Galway’s finest restaurants. It gives the discerning diner plenty of options to choose from when planning that special evening; whether it be a dinner with a potential business client; a romantic evening with your loved one or just an evening out with friends.

This Guide illustrates the wide variety of establishments available. One can dine in any part of this city and county, starting eastwards from Ballinasloe, onto Portumna, Loughrea, Gort, Kinvara, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge, Athenry, Tuam, Claregalway, Oranmore, Barna, Moycullen, Cliften, Spiddal, Salthill; finishing up in this wonderful City of Galway - the permanent cultural capital of Ireland. You could find yourself in a castle, at the seaside or in the Gaeltacht, in a busy urban environment or one of our top quality hotels or pubs.

I am also impressed with the range of dining opportunities on offer, which include traditional Irish home cooking, seafood, game, vegetarian, chinese, medieval banqueting, gourmet coffee and haute cuisine. I believe that your creativity within the food industry, your expertise and innovative use of the best of local ingredients have developed our culinary standards to rank among the best in the entire world.

This Guide and associated website is distinctive in that it provides our top quality restaurants, with an outstanding platform from which to advertise the best of local food, which you serve to perfection. I can personally testify to this as I have had the privilege of sampling the fare of several of the restaurants in this Guide. Needless to say the best restaurant, is one where you feel more like a house guest rather than the patron of the restaurant. For obvious reasons, I am not going to reveal my personal favourite.

It is commonly known that a restaurant is only as good as it’s chef. We all know of cases, than when a chef departed from a restaurant, he or she brought its good reputation with them. Therefore, I am sure I don’t need to remind you of the importance of having highly qualified and trained cooking staff. It is my opinion therefore, that it is essential that your chefs are properly trained, so that they can assure the consumer of quality service and food safety, while also operating a profitable business. I would like to speak briefly on the importance of food safety in particular. On June 28th last, I announced the new Food Safety Management Standard 343, which was developed by the National Standards Authority of Ireland for which I have political responsibility as Minister for Science and Technology.

Customers’ demands for quality, safety and traceability at all stages of the food chain are high, and are constantly increasing. In response, all those involved in the food industry have no choice but to put food safety and quality, at the top of their respective agendas.

In essence, this means that food safety systems, must be managed with the same care and attention, as is given to the financial and commercial aspects of a business. This means that food safety, must be integrated into your business plan. Food safety could be compared to putting on your safety belt in your car. It has to be something that you do instinctively. It's not about plaques on the wall, and it's not something you should have to think about. If it's not instinctive, you won't think about it on a Saturday night, when you are at you busiest. The secret of food safety is not a secret at all - it lies in good hygiene practice, proper preparation of food and beverages and, above all, having well trained staff.

Your endeavours in producing this excellent Guide have succeeded in putting Galway restaurants well and truly on the map, in terms of good food and a place to visit. This Guide is a prime example of local entrepreneurship in action.

My heartiest congratulations to Michelle Dervan who in association with Galway Irish Spring Water, as main sponsor, have worked hard to bring this publication to its successful launch here, this evening. Your achievements in such a short time have been remarkable.

As a result of this initiative, visitors and locals alike can expect to find interesting and inventive menus in all of our restaurants, featuring high quality local produce. This Guide is a must for everyone with an interest in the best of food, drink and hospitality. Now, with no further ado, I would like to formally launch this excellent Guide.