Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I have one question. The IFA has figures and Teagasc has figures, and Teagasc feeds information back to the Government. I cannot understand why a paltry package of €7 million in funding was provided a month or two ago, given that there is such a crisis in the pig industry. It seems that there could be another €13 million in funding - that is not anywhere near what is needed - with a 10% cut-off for a herd, which is an astonishing situation for pig farmers to find themselves in. Some of them are paying up to 70% more for their feed. I have been talking to those working in the pig industry in west Cork, even as late as last night. Some of them are have gone out of business or are going out of business. It is a very serious situation. The Government is slightly out of touch and the Minister is very out of touch on this issue.

I ask Mr. Cullinan to explain why the pig and poultry industry are outside of CAP payments for their food products which are 100% quality assured, welfare compliant and nitrate compliant? They are also land-based enterprises, due to the fact that all products consumed by the animals are land-based, and all products excreted by the animals are excreted back onto the land.