Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I have it said now anyway. It is on the record. Country of origin labelling would do a lot for this country. There is resistance in Europe to it. What is happening is that all the foodstuff that I give out about are coming in through Rotterdam where some adjustment is made and it is sold across Europe. What is happening is that chicken and beef come into Ireland with breadcrumbs or some such additive and until we correct that system we will have no success with Irish food.

Ireland is one of the most successful countries for the production of food in the world because we are surrounded by water. It is a safe country. I refer to the island of Ireland, North and South. We have the ability to produce good food. The farming community has lost heavily because it has failed to develop and protect its co-operatives. We are seeing a downturn in agricultural prices and over-production in the milk industry in some parts of the world. Milk is being produced in substantial quantities in America and New Zealand and much of that is coming into Europe in spite of the tariff barriers. In the past, co-operatives were very vigilant, did great marketing for farmers and took their produce, but we have lost them. The recession will inspire people to protect their businesses rather than enjoy the buoyancy that existed heretofore.

My constituency has done very well under Administrations over the past ten or 15 years. There have been substantial new school developments and roads, and a new road is being built from Cork to Dublin. There are many industrial developments in Fermoy and such places. That town has done reasonably well and the new cattle mart has been grant aided by the Government. It has been the flagship sales area.

I want to praise a few projects in my part of the country of which I am very proud. I am very proud to have obtained Government support for them and hope I will continue to do so. I hope that, in spite of the decline in prosperity and the difficulties that exist, we will still be able to grant aid and support deserving and necessary projects. I have no doubt but that we will do so under the Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan. The budget of the Minister for Finance was a Houdini job and was done very well. It has been acclaimed and the people realise it had to be structured in the way it was. Three major issues arose in respect of it but, ultimately, we have survived very well. Not alone that, people accept the budget and believe what we did was right. They are prepared to stay with us and support us in every way.

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