Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner to the committee. I will concentrate my questions on the UK decision to leave the EU and the implications for this country. There is significant internal trade in this country with beef and milk in Northern Ireland coming down to the Twenty-six Counties. Weaker sterling will have an impact on all sectors. In recent weeks we have seen our mushroom sector come under extraordinary pressure. What is the Commissioner's view? When the Russian ban was introduced, the fruit and vegetable sector in Europe got an exceptional temporary measure put in place and producers in 20 countries were able to avail of it. A total of €400 million was drawn down under that temporary exceptional measure. If our mushroom sector is to survive until the renewal of contracts in six months or nine months, it will need such a measure from the Commission to keep the businesses operating. They have been caught offside with a political event that is completely outside their control. No one envisaged this would arise. They are trying to get better conditions from the major retailers in the UK, but it is not happening. Their circumstances are very much like those at the time of the Russian ban. I call on the Commission to look favourably on a temporary measure to try to help this sector to survive.