Mr. Gerry Reilly:

I thank Ms Dwyer. I shall return to the points raised by Senator Mulherin. First, she referred to alternative markets and asked us to bear in mind Polish production. We have an amazing market that took us 30 years to build up. Some 3,500 people work in the sector. Mushrooms account for one third of the horticulture sector. The value of mushrooms at the farm gate is almost double that of potatoes. We have exported mushrooms. The success of the mushroom sector stems from reaching a market of 50 million people and it would be great to go further. Obviously, one learns from an occasion such as this. One will try to expand one's market in the future but we will fight tooth and nail now to hold on to our market and we are here today to secure a lifeline.

The Senator asked why producer organisation, PO, funding has not been paid. Just to put everyone in the picture, producer groups are set up to help the producer get closer to the marketplace. These groups have been set up all across Europe. There is very good funding available of up to €900 million from the budget in Europe. The aim is to get producers of fruit and vegetables closer to the marketplace. I do not know why PO funding is not paid. We have asked for the 2015 money and perhaps the Senator can say something to the right people in order that we might secure it. It is EU money that is policed and administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I hope we will get a payment soon. Perhaps some of my colleagues would like to comment on the matter.