Mr. Kevin Comiskey:

I reiterate what the president said. I certainly did not leave it late, nor did the sheep committee leave it late. It is exactly 12 months since I highlighted that there was going to be a crisis in the sector. I saw it coming down the road. At the end of March 2022 I had pointed out that coming into the back end of 2022 and early into 2023 we would be running into a crisis. Unfortunately, we have seen no action on that. This is why we went ahead and had the meeting in Athlone and in various other places such as Tuam and Tinahely, and presented the document to the Minister, as the Deputy has pointed out correctly.

Indeed, I find it very disappointing when I see the Government, Ministers and the Department officials coming out and making statements and thumping their craw about what they are giving to farmers. At the Food Vision beef and sheep group meeting they pointed out to us that farmers were getting €250 million in areas of natural constraint, ANC, payments. In 2007 those ANC payments were €257 million. Taking inflation into account those payments now should be €380 million in 2023. It really twists my gut to hear Ministers and officials coming out and saying that the agri climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, will be a support to sheep farmers. It certainly will be support and sheep farmers will avail of it, but every other farmer will also avail of it including dairy, beef, tillage and every other sector as well. ACRES is an environmental payment for environmental actions that will help the Department, the Minister and the Government to achieve the targets they have set. It is not a direct payment to sheep farmers. This must be pointed out clearly to the Minister. This is why he came at us with €12 and is trying to cover up with this ACRES scheme. I am not accepting that. I want to make this very clear here today.

With regard to the carcass lamb coming in, I am on the record on this. When I was vice-chairman of the group I monitored the lamb coming in. I pointed out earlier that this is where the labelling issues are. Bord Bia, the Department and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, has a major role to play there. Mr. Bourke has the figures.