Mr. Richard Nolan:

While I am not here to farmer-bash, farmers have an incredible lobby group and I have often wondered why they cannot apply the same determination in looking after, growing and marketing Irish fruit and vegetables. Let me give an example. An old codger in Rush used to bring two lorry loads of vegetables to Limerick city because there was nobody between Rush and Limerick growing vegetables. It is a fundamental problem in the agriculture sector, although we do not have time to discuss it today.

I am not lost on the question of ugly fruit, but I will not go back over it. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív mentioned the perpetual squeeze, which is all the more reason this protocol should be put in place. I do not have anything else to say in that regard.

I merchandise my own milk. I do everything and receive no assistance from our milk suppliers in that regard. We receive a financial contribution, but, while I am not into liquid milk company bashing, I have to say Glanbia, because of the manner in which it is set up, is not one of our favourite suppliers. For my sins, we use milk from Northern Ireland, County Donegal and several suppliers; therefore, our friends in Glanbia do not enjoy exclusivity in our store. There is a variety of reasons this is the case.

On Deputy Pat Deering's comments on the price of milk, as I am not affiliated to Supervalu, I cannot explain its marketing techniques-----