Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Santini stated that it is not under agriculture, even though it is being used on land. Why is there such a lacuna there? As a result of the price of fertiliser, is there a concern in Europe about both animal welfare and food shortages?

From what I understand, and I may need to be corrected, Mr. Santini stated that the customs authorities in Europe have not been contacted about the problem from the different bodies affected. However, he also state that COPA and some cereal organisation were talking about it. Are there two or three different sections involved? Are Mr. Santini's section, the customs section and some other section involved? Have they met? Are they aware of the situation? From what Mr. Santini stated, I understand under state aid rules countries would be allowed to subsidise the price of fertiliser in an emergency for one year, particularly as the price has gone up. Am I correct in saying that?

If we look at Europe today, we can see that it has got rid of steel. Mr. Santini talked about America. American cereals are important. The cereals imported into Europe to feed cattle or make bread come from Canada. Does it suit Europe, with the new green agenda it is driving, that if there is a shortage of fertiliser, food production will obviously be down? Is Europe going in a direction which means that we are becoming the salespeople of the world? As stated, steel is gone. Steel production is done in other countries or on other continents. The position is the same with fertiliser. In the context of gas, we are solely reliant on others to produce it. Are we becoming like the birds in the nest, waiting for some other country to do something on our behalf? If the price fluctuates in such circumstances, then we are in trouble. Why have Europe and the Commission not progressed the idea of being self-sufficient in all of the situations to which I refer?