Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the past few months farm organisations in different parts of the country have publicised the fact that even though meat might be stamped as such - especially chicken - it is actually not Irish. What does Bord Bía intend to do to sort out this problem? The product may have originated in another country, but it is stamped as having come from Ireland, which is causing confusion.

The delegates made reference to the success of the beef genomics scheme. Do they have any worry that 10,000 extra cattle are being killed to have the same tonnage of beef? They are the latest statistics.

Bord Bia had a system with the dairy farms and then came into the beef farms. Farmers in the dairy sector had an opportunity to sort something out and come back a few weeks later, whereas the quality assurance lasted for a certain length of time on the beef sector. Is that still the case or has it been rectified?

Ms McCarthy spoke about the carbon navigator earlier. Farmers are being charged fairly heavy prices for doing these carbon navigators. Is it a concern that at the end of the day the farmer is paying for nearly all of these new add-ons to make things better? I know it is in the interest of food, but generally they are not getting any more for what they produce.

Ms McCarthy mentioned the organic sector. Senator Mac Lochlainn and Deputy Pringle also mentioned it. I know of many people who go to the ordinary mart because it does not pay them to go to the organic sales. They go to the ordinary commercial marts with their stock. There does not seem to be a niche market for that. I believe the hill lambs are organic because when they are up on hills they are not getting too many injections or anything. They have no good market for the hill lamb at the moment. Why are we not doing something on that end?

We are hearing stories that the China market is close to being open for us. Does Ms McCarthy have any update on that?

Restrictions on the movement of cattle are causing problems for farmers. If an animal was in two or three different farms, provided it was looked after properly, it is the same animal that gets eaten. We have the 30 month requirement. After 30 months and two days the steak tastes the same as after 29 months and 28 days. As Senator Mac Lochlainn said, we may need to educate consumers more about how Irish beef, lamb etc. are produced to a great standard.