Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)

I listened to the hypocrisy of Government backbenchers shouting across in a mealy-mouthed way at Fine Gael, the party that supplied Ministers of the highest standard to the Department of Agriculture. At the same time, they conveniently forget, like Deputy Treacy did, that Micheál Ó Cinnéide, as Minister for Agriculture and Food, closed the sugar factory in Tuam. That was quickly followed by Thurles, Carlow and Mallow, which was finished off by the former Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Mary Coughlan. They devastated the sugar beet industry, but the backbenchers conveniently forget that.

I finish on a word of warning to the Minister, Deputy Smith, because he is a decent man and I wish him well in agriculture. It is important he does well, for farmers and for the country. He should beware. He should not be looking at this side for enemies. Look behind you, Minister, because your backbenchers are in the corridors of this House, and out on the highways and by-ways of rural Ireland, saying something different to what they are saying in here. They are saying that the Minister is the weakest link and we know what happens the weakest link.

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