Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Eamon Ryan for sharing time and Fianna Fáil for bringing this motion forward, which I am supporting. The Ministers did not listen to us in the spring when we were highlighting the plight of the farmers and I do not know if they really care. I am very disappointed with the Tánaiste, who was only 20 minutes away from the gates in Bandon but he never arrived to listen to the farmers. The same applies to the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, each of whom were no more than 20 minutes away from the gates in Bandon. We, and the people there, are very disappointed with that.

Farmers rang me last night. There is no mention of €3.60. The figure of €3.40 is the going rate. What farmers really need and want is €4 but they would accept and could live with €3.80. A fortnight ago, they were offered €3.20. I could get the man who told me that on the phone this minute. That is not fair or right.

Why can the factories not accept a little less profit? It was in the newspaper that one processing plant made €190 million last year in profits. Why could it not accept half of that and give something to the farmers to allow them to continue working the land they love and on which generations before them prided themselves and on which they survived? Why could it not take a bit less? One individual is worth €480 million. The west of Ireland and every farmer there could not make up €480 million even if they all joined together with whatever small bank accounts they have. The whole thing is wrong and unfair and is the height of blackguarding.

Something better than this deal will have to be put in place to sort this out. I realise people owe money. They want to give money to their children who are going to college but they have bills to pay and need to get money somewhere. The situation is desperate.

The Ministers and their Government have let the farmers in the west of Ireland down, including in the county of Kerry.

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