Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I thank the witnesses for attending the committee.

Mr. Cullinan and the IFA were in Brussels in the past week or two. The IFA has raised the possibility of stopping imports from entering the EU. Up to 100,000 tonnes of beef are imported from the UK and I agree with them on the Mercosur deal. Did the IFA talk with MEPs? In the event of a no-deal Brexit, what support was the IFA getting from the 700 or so MEPs? What was the feeling about stalling that deal, which would give us the opportunity to put more beef into Europe? State aid rules have been relaxed but they will need to be relaxed more.

The EU is looking at the export of calves. Will the associations agree there is a requirement at Rosslare for lairage? Private individuals in France spent much money last year working on developing more capacity and being able to handle more of the suck calves going out. Will the associations agree with more infrastructure in the line of lairage at Rosslare? There are more boat journeys, which will be a help but these are weather dependent. There is no point in codding ourselves on that.

Over the past six months, many bullocks and heifers were going across the Border and it gave a lift to the market. Was this buy-in for storage? In the event of this doomsday scenario, will more cattle be exported on the hoof? Will we need to get prepared for this?

As Mr. O'Donnell has mentioned, there is an opportunity with the sheep sector. Will sheep coming from the North pay the tariff in? Will the sheep in Southern Ireland be totally different? We know there are sheep coming in from the UK, such as stags, ewes and probably lambs, into the North.

I saw the beef one and the milk one. Are sheep at the same rate as beef, be it on the hoof or slaughtered? I have glasses but I might not have seen it.