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

The Chairman will appreciate that I am trying to run between two committee meetings. I welcome the Minister and his officials. The issue with fodder is that almost every year there is a fodder shortage in the north west. That area is traditionally where it has always happened, mainly due to rain and bad weather. This year we have a unique situation where it is occurring mainly in the south east due to an absence of rain. The situation is reversed. As Deputy Penrose said earlier, it points to the change in the climate, the impact that is having and the unpredictability of that. We have to deal with the crisis. I appreciate that the Minister has brought some measures forward but he will have to go much further to deal with this comprehensively.

A point was made earlier about cereal crops and the need to get more feed produced. One of the problems is that farmers in the areas that traditionally produced feed and cereal are now going into dairy farming and they are taking feed rather than producing it. That problem will have to be recognised and forward planning will have to be undertaken if that is to continue. The price of feed will be an issue, not only here but also internationally. When we import feed, we have that problem as well. The Department has opposed meal vouchers but I spoke to the Minister about this even last year. If the Department met with the merchants and came up with a solution to deliver feed directly to farmers at a keen price, it would work. Teagasc can identify the people who need it. The best way forward is to do something that will put feed directly into the hands of the farmers who need it at this time.

Forage is an issue because we need more of it. The idea of growing a winter crop on the land that traditionally would be left bare over the winter is a welcome part of the solution. In my part of the country, people are busy with good grass growth and cutting good second cut and third cut silage. In the north west, the land holds the water well, unfortunately.