Johnny Brady (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister on her Trojan work on behalf of the farming community. Since assuming office 16 months ago, her efforts at the Cabinet table, at EU level and at the WTO negotiations in Hong Kong last December have been second to none. The agriculture industry is in safe hands with the Minister and her two Ministers for State. It is cheap of Fine Gael to table a vote of no confidence in the Minister. As chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture Food, I have met many members of the farming community from across the political spectrum who have the height of respect for the Minister. I meet these people every day. I meet people from the Fine Gael Party who say they are very lucky to have a capable Minister, who cares about the interests of agriculture.

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