Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

The Minister says he will come to an agreement with the industry as soon as possible. We are now in a crisis. Pig farmers and workers in the industry are desperate. Can the Minister get this sorted out today? It will have to be sorted some day and it is better done now.

When was the first test carried out on farms other than pig farms? Can the Minister confirm that it was the last week of September? How many people have been laid off, and how many more does the Minister expect to be laid off if nothing is done? Can the Minister accept that pig farmers are in an extraordinary situation? The problems with the banks were never sorted out and they are under pressure not just from the point of view of pigs but also from their lending institutions.

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