Mr. Sean Coughlan:

In the most respectful terms, I absolutely refute any suggestion that there is an agenda here about slimming down or reducing the numbers of sucklers. We are desperately trying to hang on to what we have. At the moment, suckler farmers are voting with their feet in terms of getting out because it is economically challenging. Part of the challenge is that suckler farmers, with all due respect to them, are being hit from all sides at the moment. We happen to be the lightning rod for that. Fair enough, the indexes are, but there is lots more coming at it as well.

The show sector is an incredibly important part of the fabric of rural Ireland throughout the summer. It keeps positivity around farming, gets young people interested in agriculture and puts a positive message on it. The breed societies play a critical role in that. In terms of the future of the suckler herd, more than 80% of the herd are still breeding from stock bulls and the breed societies will continue to play a critical role in that. I have mentioned a couple of times - members have been in and out of the meeting, so I am not sure who was here and who was not - that the breed profile of the national suckler herd will not change very much. Approximately 70% of the national suckler herd is of the continental breeds. That will remain the same. Where will they source the stock bulls for those herds? They will source them from the pedigree breeders who are involved in the breed societies. I am clear as to the positive. There are some magnificent animals presented at these shows. They tend to be terminal in nature, even the females. They are really heavy and muscled animals. That is not always going to be reflected in the index. The big muscled animal is not necessarily going to get the full reflection in the index because, as Dr. Crossan stated, we have to take account of fertility, calving and all the other matters. I hope I have answered the Senator's questions.