Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

The Commissioner's decision will lead to great frustration among the agricultural community in Ireland. The Commission is selling our rights at WTO level and allowing a substantial tonnage of beef to be imported into the European Union at low or no tariff, while at the same time the limited supports in place for beef exports are being withdrawn prior to any final negotiations at the WTO. Will the Minister put it again to the Commission in that context?

What steps are being taken in this country, in light of export refunds evaporating from 2013, to develop premium markets in third countries? There are a number of premium markets, not just for beef but for other food products, where we could get a premium price for products. What steps are being taken at this stage to develop those markets so we do not end up with what appears to be a traditional scenario of worrying about solutions when everything else is being closed down?

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