Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

All types and aspects of Irish farming seem to be in crisis. Sheep farmers are in serious trouble. That is the reason farmers are protesting outside the Minister's Department. I understand this matter could be easily solved by a simple announcement from him as to when he will pay the money from Brussels that is there for these farmers.

Beef prices are falling. Most beef farmers are no longer making an economic living. Their investment and expenditure far exceed their income.

Milk prices are set to collapse in 2009. The spike is gone and the trough is approaching. Some people predict a price reduction of between of 10 cent and 20 cent a litre in 2009. At present Kerry Co-Operative pays farmers 32 cent per litre, which is far ahead of the price per litre paid by most other co-operatives. It is predicted by those working at the coalface that there will be a reduction in milk prices of 10 cent or 20 cent a litre. If that happens, it will no longer be economic for farmers to engage in milk production — that is the bottom line.

We will be tabling a motion on the fodder crisis after Christmas. That crisis is looming. Farmers had cattle in over the summer and now they do not have enough fodder. In many cases they only have enough until February. We had a fodder crisis a few years ago. In counties like Kerry we were able to bring in beet pulp and straw and use our own maize. This year we produced about 500 hectares of maize in County Kerry, most of which was of poor quality. We face a major fodder crisis. That is the reason it is important to reverse the decision on disadvantaged areas especially, which will cost a county like Kerry, according to the IFA's estimate, almost €3 million or, an average, €956 per farmer. Therefore, it is a serious crisis. The Minister is probably batting on his own in his Department. He was always very much in support of agriculture. He is probably on his own there in that respect, but he will have to exert all the pressure he can to save Irish farming.

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