Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Irish farming is generally considered to be in compliance with all of the relevant EU regulations and standards. Our milk and beef sectors are grass based which is unusual in the EU and yet we have one of the lowest milk prices of all member states. The price does not reflect the high standards we are expected to meet. That feeds into the whole issue about the very strict controls that we have in place which is what programme B is all about.

I wish to make a comment in the context of the various animal and fish disease control programmes. The Minister spoke earlier about the potential of salmon farming in Ireland but we must be careful not to compare ourselves with places like Norway or northern Scotland where very deep fjords provide a very safe environment for fish farming. The west of Ireland is a totally different environment and there are very serious dangers posed by escapes in the context of disease control. While I understand that aquaculture may have potential here, we must be very cautious. We cannot compare ourselves with other countries which have an entirely different environment.