Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not getting into it, but when one hears the Taoiseach stating he is doing his bit for climate change by reducing his intake of meat, that is a real worry for the farmers whom I and other members represent.

In 2012, when the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, was the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, he told farmers that they should increase their herd and expand production as the end of the quota regime approached. That was grand, as dairy farmers could expand and efforts were made to secure markets for milk and dairy products. However, the same efforts and force were not put into the export of live cattle. It is well known that more dairy cows means more calves and there has to be an outlet for them. One of the major concerns raised at the meetings for farmers is that the factories determine the price of the animal. The factories have all the data and they know when the animals are reaching 16 months, 24 months and 30 months. They have that advantage over the farmers because they know when the volume of stock will increase and they seem to be able to reduce the price at will. The poor farmer is up against that technology now. I raised this issue on the Order of Business in the House last week. There is no visible difference in the carcass of an animal of 29 months, 30 months or 31 months and one cannot tell if the animal has been moved once, twice, five times or seven times. There is something wrong in the system and there needs to be an investigation into what is happening. The factories and the Department need to be taken to task about the rules and regulations that are manifesting in low prices and hurting farmers in the pocket. I am calling for an inquiry into this matter.

A programme broadcast the other day on Brexit focused on the marts in the North where farmers are delighted with the prices they were getting at the marts. The same story applies in England. How is it that just a few miles away - across the ditch in Northern Ireland - there is such a difference in the price of cattle being sold compared with the South? The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine or his officials need to tell us what has gone wrong and why there is such a difference in the price between North and South. This is a serious question but I cannot answer it. I need an answer from the Minister or his Department because the current position is totally wrong.

Farmers in the South jump through every hoop and their animals are treated immaculately. Nobody can say that farmers are polluters or causing damage to the environment because they are not. Every farmer I know has built slatted sheds, complies with all the regulations and jumps through every hoop, yet farmers are not being paid. On the one hand, Bord Bia is carrying out inspections and looking after that side of its role, but it is not marketing our animals and products as good as it could be.

I see from the opening statement that there will be a focus on the live trade this year. The live trade should be a focus because if markets are not opened up and there is no route to market for the extra animals we are producing, the factories will have another field day at the expense of the farmers.

My questions are very relevant to the farmers. We need answers on why there is a such a difference in the price of cattle in the North compared with the South. Somebody has to answer that question for the people I represent.