Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee today. Their hearts are in the right place, fighting for farmers who are under severe pressure. I ask them to comment on a line in the opening presentation in order to address how we got into this crisis. The opening statement said the sector is in a crisis at the present time and farmers' morale is at an all-time low. It is awful tough to see that. We all know farmers are working and fighting hard to survive. We know costs are unbelievable and farmers have to run families, pay bills and whatever else.

Can someone explain how it got to this situation? There is more dairying and beef farming than tillage farming down my side of the side country. Can someone explain that?: