Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to make two comments. One is on food safety and food supply. With the measures that have been approved by the Government to address climate change, do the witnesses feel they will be able to deliver on food safety and supply?

Mr. Biggins covered the second issue that I want to raise, which is ACRES. Mr. Biggins stated that 42% of people's income is coming from these environmental schemes. How can we be assured that the people who need to be in that scheme the most can get into it? I agree that two weeks will not be enough. I have been inundated by farmers over recent weeks. One cannot get a planner or anybody to do the work. There is no point in the Department introducing the scheme, opening it on 17 October and closing it on 21 November. Is the Department serious about that scheme or does it just want to open it and cause trouble for us all? The people who really need and want it should be in it.

The Government talks about food safety. Today, we met a Green Party Minister. If it continues to put in restrictions and pressure on farmers in this country, we will have a major problem with food supply in the years ahead. It will then cry and ask why we did this and let this happen. The people in the country will ask why we did not have sufficient food supply. All it will take is food coming from Brazil, Argentina or another place which is poisoned, then people will be sick from it and there will be outcry and questions about why we cannot supply our own food for our own country. If the Government and Green Party are serious, they have to give farmers the money, resources and time to be able to produce good food.