Ms Rowena Dwyer:

I thank the Senator for his question. We are looking at making such proposals. In 2009 and 2010 there was an employer subsidy scheme. Another such scheme should be considered because it would reduce the costs or subsidise the costs of employment. We are aware that it operated for a short period under a temporary EU state aid framework. We have considered existing measures that could be tweaked in the immediate term. I am aware that other sectors of the food industry have looked at whether the employment subsidy scheme that existed in 2009 and 2010 could be reintroduced. The reason the scheme is not to the forefront of our proposals is due to the fact that it existed under an EU state aid framework that no longer exists. I apologise to the Senator for misinterpreting his question.

The final question was on CAP market support measures. We have identified what exists under the single Common Market organisation as a possibility to provide support to the fruit and vegetable sector that has been impacted by a market disturbance. We will pursue the matter. We expect, based on evidence relating to the dairy and pigmeat sectors, that a solution may take time. It is another avenue that we will pursue because we know that not one single measure we have proposed will be sufficient to address the issues of the mushroom sector. We have identified what we hope are practical measures that could contribute to supporting the sector.