Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner, Mr. Hogan. This is my first time as a friend and colleague to address him in public as European Commissioner. In Kilkenny we are very proud of his achievements. It is a long time since he donned the under-14 jersey for Tullaroan, but I heard he was as big then as he is now. It is a long time, too, since he hunted cows with his late father in Gaulstown. These experiences gave him great life experience.

In his opening remarks the Chairman raised many of the issues involved. The Commissioner has pointed out that one of the serious issues involved is the Russian ban on Irish beef. I have two main issues to raise in that regard. One thing any farmer or anybody involved in agriculture is afraid of is an inspection. The Commissioner has said one of his priorities is simplification of the CAP. We do not condone fraud or serious breaches of the regulations, but we need a yellow card to be introduced for inspections. People should not be penalised so heavily for minor breaches. I, therefore, ask the Commissioner to consider looking at a system such as a yellow card to deal with this issue.

One of the priorities of the Commissioner on taking office was the food chain and transparency in food production. Food security and traceability are important issues for the European Union, particularly for Ireland for which traceability, food quality and safety are vital. The Commissioner has mentioned that EU beef prices have reached a record high, but last year the beef sector in Ireland faced a serious challenge owing to the specifications being imposed by factories, producers and retailers. The Commissioner has said he intends to set up an independent body to consider how everybody involved in the food chain can be rewarded properly. Has there been any progress on that issue, food chain security and guaranteed prices for farmers who are the primary producers?