Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I echo Deputy Fitzmaurice's comments on the sheep sector. I attended a meeting with sheep farmers in Longford last night. They are worried about their situation. It is arguably our most challenged sector at the moment. Many sectors in farming are quite buoyant at the moment. It goes without saying that the Government has provided significant supports for both the pig and horticulture sectors. The Minister is to be applauded and commended for that. They were worthwhile and timely interventions in both cases by the Minister. I appreciate sheep farmers can access the fodder scheme but we also have to acknowledge that their operational costs have increased by 40% in the past year. Teagasc is estimating a further 10% increase in feed costs for that sector again this year. It is a stark scenario. Typically, returns on a lamb at the moment are as little as €7. In an average holding, €75 is a small return in that type of situation. It is unsustainable for many of these sheep farmers, particularly in Longford where many sheep farmers operate on a store basis. They were buying a lot of stores and looking at a bleak scenario for the next couple of months. I know the Minister is aware that the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, in particular, is looking for a €30 per animal support intervention from him. Can he give us any comfort or indication that is something he is taking seriously on board at the moment?