Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thank you for your indulgence, Chairman. I will not ask the speakers to respond now but they might respond to the point in future contributions. It is with regard to the differential between ourselves and the British market. We only have Irish beef on the shelves of three of the seven large multiples in the UK.

The differential will form part of our report. If the organisations have made any further analysis of this issue, they might forward it to the committee because we need to get to the heart of it domestically. They might also forward any further information they have on the average European price. Mr. Kinsella has made the point that, by and large, it relates to bull beef, but if the three farming organisations have any additional information in that regard, it would be useful to the committee to have it.

The delegates might also comment on the reason the co-op movement in the Republic has not moved into the beef processing sector. The dairy co-ops are very progressive: they are not afraid of entering new markets. If there is an issue with margins, as everybody believes there is, why has the co-op sector which is farmer-led not moved into that sector also?