Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations. My question is for the delegates from the Loughs Agency. To understand how things work now in taking prosecutions for poaching and pollution, where are they pursued? How is that matter decided? Is a line drawn on a map of the lough? Does the agency decide whether prosecutions will be taken in courts in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland? How is that established? Is there fluidity in that regard? Can the agency decide where cases should be prosecuted?

I have a question for Mr. Comer on the low interest agri-cash flow support loan scheme which was introduced by the Government. There was €150 million available and in the space of 22 days the scheme was oversubscribed. Would the ICMSA consider repeating it as part of a solution? I would appreciate some feedback from Mr. Comer.

On the CAP, as Mr. Comer pointed out, there will be less money available because Britain will be outside the European Union. How will this impact on the dairy sector? From the point of view of farm payments, there will be less money in the pot. It seems there will be less money to go around. Has Mr. Comer's organisation evaluated the possible impact? What is his organisation suggesting? He spoke about the farm management deposit scheme as a buffer to prevent volatility in the commodity price. Perhaps he might give us his views on the matter.

Mr. Comer did not mention the farmer who is in a weaker position in the chain of supply. Farmers are price takers; they do not set the price. Whether it be the multiple retailers or international markets, the farmer is the vulnerable person. We know that in milk prices for a while farmers were challenged to meet the actual cost of producing milk as the price was on the floor. Mr. Comer did not mention it in his presentation, but there have been suggestions from different sources about how the relatively weak position of farmers could be addressed and how they could be supported. Not only is it demoralising but it is also financially unsustainable to be in that position.