Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the IFA for its presentation. I have met with a number of people in the past seven or eight weeks who have practically lost their income for the year. I have met with the local IFA leadership and have been very well briefed. Everything that has been said today is consistent with what I have seen with my own two eyes, and heard from those people. It is very worrying that 400 family farmers have lost their income for the year. I might be on my own on this but I do not accept for one minute that low-interest loans are the solution. In fact, I think they could contribute to the problem. If there is no aid package people will borrow money to pay debts for a year and I am very sceptical about it. There must be no other outcome than an aid crisis package to the 400 people who are in this situation through no fault of their own but because the elements militated against them.

There should be no ambiguity in any political party or among Independents about their support for those farmers. This is an equality situation. There are precedents going back to 2009, 2010 and 2013. If this is not delivered it will be a violation of the equality of the people in our agricultural sector. An agreed message from the committee to the Minister should go out, clear and strong, that an aid package must be made available forthwith to alleviate the suffering of cereal farmers at this time. The situation requires equality of treatment in line with precedents. The Government has to live up to equality demands and there should be no ambiguity. It must not be pushed down the road with low-interest loans because without an aid package things will be made worse. It involves a small number of farmers and a small amount of money but a big impact on local economies, families and communities.

They deserve our support and I have no doubt it will be forthcoming.