Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the people from ICBF. We have to declare if we have an interest here. I am a suckler farmer. I foddered 26 Shorthorn and Herefords before I came here this morning. Many of us have skin in the game and it is important to say that.

This has been devastating to farmers but I want to go back to the politics of it. We are politicians first and foremost. If I have counted correctly, there are 18 members on ICBF. The IFA holds four board positions, ICMSA two, there are two from the Department and the balance is made up by breeders. How did they allow this to go through? What were the mechanics of this decision? Did they rubber stamp it? Was there a vote on it? How did it get through in November?