Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Thomas Pringle and Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.

We are here to discuss the ongoing difficulties in the farming sector in the supply of fodder. I welcome to this special meeting the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed, and his officials, whom I thank for coming before the committee.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Before I ask him to make his opening statement, I would like to state we are under time pressure as the Minister has to leave before 4 p.m. To allow every member an opportunity to make his or her point and ask questions of the Minister and his officials, I have put a structure in place whereby the Minister will make an opening statement for five to ten minutes. Opposition spokespersons, plus the Fine Gael spokesperson, will have five minutes each initially to question the Minister, or 20 minutes in total. The Minister will then reply. We will then move to the remaining committee members who will have 15 minutes in total between them. We will then go back to the Minister for his replies. Other members will then have ten minutes in total between them before the Minister replies again. If there is time, we will have supplementary questions. To have a structure to enable everyone to have an opportunity to ask questions of the Minister, I will be abiding by the time limits rigidly. I ask the Minister to make his opening statement.