Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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The abolition of clawback on the sale of entitlements and stacking was referred to. Whatever about stacking, they are keeping their single farm payment intact. Looking for farmers to sell their entitlements, some 85% of their income, is like putting up the white flag for the industry. They are already under severe financial pressure with the single farm payment. If they let it go, how can they produce grain?

If ever a cartel operated, it is in fertiliser prices. Once the milk price gets anywhere into the high 30s per litre, the fertiliser price goes up. I know the IFA has done great work on tariffs. However, the fertiliser price cartel needs to be broken because it charges whatever farmers can afford to pay. It affects all sectors, not just tillage. Over the past three weeks, the price was €30 a tonne. There is absolutely no justification for it whatsoever. We need to focus on this for all sectors.