Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I refer back to the milk discussion we had a few minutes ago. In 1995, there were approximately 60,000 dairy farmers in Ireland receiving 27 cent per litre for milk. In 2015, there are only 18,000 farmers and they receive the same price while the input costs have increased by 50%. How long do the witnesses think it will be sustainable? We must maintain the numbers of dairy farmers and farmers in general. If the trend continues, we will have a very small number of dairy farmers in 20 years' time.

What can we do to ensure we maintain those numbers? Perhaps this issue is specific to Ireland, but maybe it is not. Input costs constitute the big issue given that we have had a 50% rise in input costs in dairy alone over 20 years.

Fertiliser was mentioned earlier and while it is a key issue, it is not the only one. There are other issues as well. To maintain those numbers in future, we have become efficient, which is important. We are getting to a stage now where we are probably as efficient as we are going to be. Is there real value for consumers at the end of the day, however, due to the efficiencies we are developing?