Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was particularly taken by Mr. Wilson's contribution on the challenges of the big four and food deflation. This is a common denominator no matter what sector is before us. We had the various farming organisations here a fortnight ago. Ultimately, there will have to be an intervention around prices at European level.

I would be interested to get Ms Dwyer's view from the IFA concerning what can be done. What are the IFA's proposals at European level? This is not a new issue; it has been around for years. The big multiples and corporations are clearly not paying the prices that are required. One may have an intervention from western Poland, so prices fall and there is a perfect storm when currency issues are thrown in. I would like to know the IFA's proposals to address that.

When one includes issues such as the minimum wage and PRSI, I have a difficulty because there are other interventions by the Department of Social Protection. These include the family income supplement, JobPlus and the back-to-work allowance. These schemes mean that a worker would not incur a cut or loss of any benefits, because they would be supported by the State.

Have the witnesses engaged with Departments on interventions other than the minimum wage? Have they examined such interventions? The mushroom sector is struggling, so there is a clear case for a temporary State employment subsidy for such businesses at this time, as well as for other agriculture sectors. Have the witnesses examined alternatives to not increasing the minimum wage? I certainly think they are warranted.