Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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My family are suckler farmers. As Deputy Kenny stated, Irish beef is top quality. We do everything right, yet beef produced to a lesser standard will come in here and will be placed on the same shelf as Irish beef. What is being done about that?

In Mercosur countries rainforests are being chopped down, while on this side of the world we are being punished because we are not doing enough. We are doing lots. Countries on the other side of the world will be given a pat on the back for being the bad boys in the class, yet their meat can come in here and land on the shelf with our meat. Representatives of the tillage sector appeared before a committee yesterday. There has to be a level playing field for beef and grain.

We have been told that if the Mercosur-EU agreement goes through, there will be a financial safety net for farmers. I have four children, one of whom will probably take over the farm. That pot of money is our safety net. We cannot guarantee it because, to be honest, I do not trust what is going on in Europe. I do not trust that that pot of money will be there for my children. Suckler farming is already on the way down and if this deal comes in, it will go down further and we will not have food security in this country. As an island, we need food security. The Commissioner cannot guarantee that the pot of money will be there for the next generation of farmers in Ireland. Ireland has some of the best ground in the world. We produce quality food, whether it is animals or crops. We need a level playing field.