Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am not a member of the committee, but I very much appreciate the chance to participate in the discussion. I was following the proceedings on the monitor and had to come when Mr. McCormack, rightly, said there were no urban people present, that it was all rural representation. I am the least rural representative the delegates will ever meet, but I am important because the rural representatives need the urban people on their side. What I have listened to is a shocking account of an industry in absolute crisis. It is clear that the current system is not serving farmers. For them to bring about change, their urban brothers and sisters will have to be represented.

I wish to issue an invitation. The Green Party is hosting an event at the Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore this Thursday at 7.30 p.m. We are bringing over some of our advisers from the European Parliament to discuss where we believe CAP reform is going. CAP reform is obviously one of the chances to get us out of the utter crisis in which we find ourselves. We may hold the balance of power in the next European Parliament which will decide on the CAP. The consumer is important in that regard if we are to have a proper price paid for products of proper quality. The consumer must be on side. We represent the consumer and, I hope, the farmer.

What have we heard today is just shocking. The industry is a cartel. No one disagrees with that. There is a big cartel but it is hard to prove it.