Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank both contributors for their statements. This is a good thing and it is the direction we need to go in. It is a move in the right direction in terms of opening up new markets, helping to sustain markets and ensuring we have correct and full traceability.

As we know from recent reports from Teagasc on farm livelihoods, many in the sheep sector are on the lower end of the scale and are making the least amount of money for the efforts they are making. They see this as an additional cost and the question is whether that will provide an additional return greater than the cost. That is the issue most farmers have. I know from speaking to sheep farmers that none really has a problem with this other than the cost. It will be an extra cost on them and they fear they will not get the full return. That is really the issue.

Mr. Blake said the Department has been in contact with the stakeholders since the announcement. Deputy McConalogue and I met the Minister almost a year ago and he told informed us this was coming down the road. Were the stakeholders not kept informed prior to the announcement? Was there no consultation up to that point? I would like confirmation in that regard because some of the farm organisations have said they have not been kept informed as well as they would like to have been.

The issue seems to be that, in general, lambs have relatively short lives. The cost of the tag for the time it is on the farm if it is going straight to slaughter is an issue. I would like to have clarity on that issue. As far as I can see, this is good and the way forward. The best answer is the sheep scheme. If it was made an additional action under the scheme, it would compensate farmers who would know they were getting something back from it. It is regrettable. The Minister will be here later. While we are not talking about that issue now, it is part of what we are talking about. It would at least show some sense of trying to do something for the farmer. There has to be recognition that the sheep sector is under pressure. It has one of the lowest levels of profitability in farming.

I thank the delegates for their contributions.