William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I have never met Ms McPhillips before but I wish her well in her new role. She is going in at a very challenging time when there is the nitrates directive, the CAP and Mercosur. On a good day you will win all three but on a bad day you will lose all three. Ms McPhillips has a very exciting time in front of her.

I want to make it very clear that I am totally opposed to Mercosur. Totally opposed to it. Maybe I will stand in here like Senator Daly in a few years' time and say that it is over, or whatever, but I have a huge and deep commitment to the beef farmers in this country. I stood idly by and saw nearly 200,000 sucklers gone. It makes me very tearful that I knew. I followed my father to many farms and I saw the very best of stock people, old stock people, where traditions were carried down from father to son or daughter. I saw a lot of those farms being forced into milk, which they did not want to do but they could not sustain a family farm any longer. Now, at least we see a situation where those people are getting well rewarded for the cattle they are producing. Anything out there, like Mercosur, to harm that at this time is not worth the risk. I am totally opposed to Mercosur.

I will be very brief on the following points and perhaps Ms McPhillips can answer them. Has the Department conducted an up-to-date impact assessment on the implications for the Irish beef sector of increased beef imports from Mercosur countries? What specific protections are being followed for the Irish suckler and beef farmer in light of these potential market distortions? How will this deal affect beef prices? What contingency plans are in place? If Ms McPhillips could please answer that question first and then I can judge my time and maybe go down through the rest of them.