Ms Tara McCarthy:

There is no doubt that the viability of our farmers is a core priority for everyone in this room. We continuously challenge ourselves to ascertain if we are doing the best we can to capture value from the market and send messages to ensure co-ordination and alignment. Our aim is to ensure Ireland does not leave any value on the table when interacting with the market. The industry has many other structural issues but fragmentation is never a friend when seeking to create scale. We are always open to new ideas. Bord Bia, however, has only certain remits, principally in marketing and sending market signals back to the industry. I agree fully with the Senator that the fundamental future of the industry is based on the viability of the farmers working in the sector.