Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question relates to the fact that Great Britain is our largest trading partner and our neighbour.

In the IFA's discussions with its sister organisations in Britain, has it encountered any nervousness in regard to a possible referendum on British membership of the European Union? We can lay the best of plans for trade and exports but we depend on exchange rate stability. Sterling depreciated by 24% between October and December 2008. It was an unreal time. If Britain had a different relationship with the European Union and the Single Market, it would impact heavily on us. What is the general view of the farming organisations in Britain about membership of the EU and the political ratcheting up of anti-EU sentiment?