The Irish food industry, notwithstanding the challenges it faces, continues to grow and succeed, Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole told over 300 new graduates from UCD’s School of Agriculture and Food Science on Monday.

The sector “is recognised across the globe for its progress in quality, innovation and sustainability,” he added.

O’Toole, guest speaker at the graduation ceremony, described the Irish agri-food sector as “a dynamic, progressive, purposeful and ambitious industry that needs to attract and retain the best and the brightest”.

In total, 371 students were conferred from the School of Agriculture and Food Science. It is one of five schools within UCD’s College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, alongside Medicine, Nursing Midwifery, and Health Sciences, Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, and Veterinary Medicine.

'Future leaders'

“I am looking at future leaders who will take your learnings from the past number of years in UCD to ensure that Irish agriculture produces sustainable, high-quality food to feed consumers around the world for many more years to come,” O’Toole added, ending with a quote from Nelson Mandela:

“It always seems impossible, until it’s done.”

UCD president Orla Feely spoke of the challenge this group of students had to cope with during successive COVID-19 lockdowns, which signifiicantly disrupted their university experience.