Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the members of the delegation and thank them for the very comprehensive report. In particular I welcome Mr. Pat Lalor, my fellow Kilbeggan man. He has put Kilbeggan on the map with his porridge. It is always a pleasure for me to walk into a shop or even pass through the airport and see my home town's name on the shelf. It would not be there without the great work of Mr. Lalor and his organisation. It is an organic product.

When witnesses in general are asked to outline challenges, they may see that as an opportunity to come in with a wish list. If we could grant the organic producers one wish, what is the one major challenge within the industry? I always like to see a priority rather than a long list. I know there are many challenges.

As Deputy Penrose has just said, we market our beef and most agricultural products coming from the island of Ireland on the green badge. It is grass-fed beef. We are an island on the edge of the Atlantic with considerable rainfall. Are the organic producers victims of that? There is a perception that the wider produce from the island is almost organic without anybody giving due consideration to the actual "organic" organic product, if people know what I mean. Are the organic producers victims of the wider image of Ireland as being marketed as green?

On the nitrates aspect, is there an issue with a reduction in the amount of slurry or farm manure that can be used? An organic farmer recently advised me of an issue he had with not being able to import the same amount of off-farm organic fertiliser. I only heard that from one person. I ask the witnesses to comment on that.