Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Power and thank him for his presentation. He referred to imports substitution in his final comments. That is interesting as it has not been mentioned previously by other contributors or any commentator I have heard to date. It would mean replacing what we are importing by boosting the domestic economy. Can he give some examples in agrifood that might be good candidates for import substitution? I looked at the trade comparison figures between Britain and Ireland recently and there is not a massive difference between the imports and exports back and forth, so perhaps he would comment on that.

Also, there was a recent report at European level on food prices, and the committee will discuss that in the new year. Will Mr. Power comment on the core issue of the poor prices primary producers have been getting for their food? Is that part of the solution we must seek in Ireland in respect of a real threat to one of the most important sectors in the economy and our society? What can be done on that issue? It is a perennial issue of injustice for our farmers with regard to their produce during the years.