Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The only issue is that many of these schemes are voluntary, but they have effectively become non-voluntary. Let us consider the beef quality assurance scheme, setting aside what the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association has been saying recently. There is an increasing take-up of the quality assurance scheme because farmers get better prices for their beef. Several factories will not now take beef that is not quality-assured. Therefore, it is effectively becoming mandatory. It is part of the premiumisation of Irish beef.

Farmers in the North can buy into that if they want, but there is a far lower take-up. I get what Deputy Ó Cuív is saying. I have been very open to the rolling out of Bord Bia programmes in the North. In fact, quality assurance schemes are available to Northern farmers in many cases. Anyway, we have some work to do yet to create an all-island standard. There are some in the North who would be far happier remaining with British standards. It is an ongoing discussion and we will have it again on Friday week, I suspect, at the next North-South Ministerial Council meeting.