Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy raised a number of issues. The decision made by Greencore will not undermine our position at negotiations regarding the EU sugar regime. A number of issues have to be addressed. No further decisions or movement will take place until the WTO panel makes a decision. If that goes the wrong way, that will have serious implications for the sugar regime per se and the European Union may have to change its tack regarding that outcome. As the Deputy will be aware, the Union lost in that regard and that decision is being appealed to the panel. That in itself will have implications.

I have been vociferous in my discussions and correspondence with the Commission and the Commissioner regarding the implications of their proposals. It will come down to two issues, price and quota. I, like the public representatives in the House and members of the staff, was not aware of the decision that was being made, apart from the public pronouncements of the company. The decision has practical issues appertaining to the changes outside of the job losses in the factory. It is a matter for the farmers to negotiate with the company the best possible deal on transportation costs and the transportation of their sugar beet, bearing in mind that they come from north Wexford, parts of Meath and from the Deputy's constituency. On that basis, I hope the farming community can be facilitated. There is a view that this may not happen but I will not become entangled in that argument. I have supported and will support the continuation of the sugar beet industry. I am not in a position to meet Greencore to make a day to day decision but I urge the farming community and its representatives to take a professional view on this matter and to negotiate on behalf of their electorate, the sugar beet growers, to ensure the best possible deal can be achieved to facilitate the transportation and collection of their sugar beet.

I will not be in a position, regardless of whether I have a golden share, to tell the board of Greencore what to do with regard to the day to day management and working of the company. However, I believe the farming community, many of whom I met in Waterford, Carlow and another county——

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