35% of Ireland's food and drink exports go to the UK, worth almost EUR 7 billion per year.

Omissions

• The 35% share is Bord Bia's estimate for 2024 ('almost 35%'), up one percentage point on the previous year, and Bord Bia notes it remains below pre-Brexit trading levels.
• The 'almost €7 billion' value is not published as such by Bord Bia in the sources found; it is consistent with applying a ~35% UK share to the record 2025 export total of €19 billion (≈€6.6 billion), whereas the same share applied to 2024's €17 billion total gives only about €6 billion.
• The claim implicitly uses the record export year (2025) for the value and the rounded share from Bord Bia's series, i.e. the most favourable combination.
• The figures cover food, drink and horticulture exports as measured by Bord Bia, not total merchandise exports; CSO data for Food & Beverages goods exports in 2024 was €17.3 billion.
• Bord Bia's 2025-2026 report was published on 7 January 2026, i.e. before the session date of 20 October 2026, so the MEP could have known it.

Sources

• PrimaryBord Bia — 'Irish food and drink exports reach a record €17 billion' (press release)"The total share of exports for the UK in 2024 is estimated to be almost 35%, however, this remains lower than pre-Brexit trading"
• PrimaryBord Bia — Export Performance and Prospects Report 2024-2025 (PDF)"Despite these challenges, the UK's share of Irish food, drink and horticulture exports is estimated to have increased by one percentage point to almost 35%."
• PrimaryBord Bia — 'Irish food, drink and horticulture exports reach a record €19 billion' (press release, 7 January 2026)"Wednesday, January 7th, 2026: The value of Ireland's food, drink and horticulture exports increased by 12% in 2025 to reach a record €19 billion"
• PrimaryBord Bia — Export Performance and Prospects Report 2025-2026 (PDF)"Irish food, drink and horticulture exports delivered solid growth in 2025, rising by 12% to reach a record €19 billion."