Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

I was here in the late 1990s and the early 2000s when matters of great significance and national importance, the foot and mouth disease and BSE crises, arose.It is important we are constructive, put all shoulders to the wheel and act in solidarity to ensure the pivotal role of the agricultural industries is secured. As a consumer I am reassured by what I am hearing, particularly regarding beef production. I come from the heart of the beef producing area. If anyone wants assurance, I intend to eat steak tomorrow and as a consumer myself that is the best assurance I can give.

The total recall of pork products and by-products at the weekend was of significant concern and showed that the Government acted quickly. It is now a matter of major concern to pig producers and processors, butchers and employees in factories and on farms, and also involves suppliers and hauliers. It is having significant adverse consequences across the country and affects up to 6,000 people. I know some of them. I am aware of lay-offs in Rosderra. I know the owners of that plant and went to school with some of them. There are 850 employees who have been laid off there indefinitely, and other lay-offs could bring the number under protective notice to 1,500.

They will be unemployed for a period of time unless agreement is reached between the Minister and the industry on the nature and extent of an aid and rescue package. There is an urgency to making progress in this regard. There are 6,000 jobs in the pork industry. I would be grateful if the Minister could tell me the level of progress made by the Government and his colleagues in the European Commission to try and secure a rescue package to ensure the survival of an industry which provides significant employment in rural areas. This has been done over a number of years and is being done now. It is very difficult to bring industry and jobs into a rural area and we cannot underestimate its importance.

I heard the announcement that three of the 11 herds have only twice the level of PCBs and it was reassuring. I did not realise 45 farmers were involved; I thought there were only 30. I know a significant number of farmers involved, and they were also involved in discussions on the foot and mouth disease and BSE when those crises erupted. As far as I was aware, a comprehensive traceability system was to be put in place in 2002. It was to apply across the food industry and was to be put in place with no ifs, buts or maybes. A question now arises as to how the traceability and identification system fell at the very first hurdle. It was a like a well-bred horse who comes onto a track and goes down the first time she is given a run.

I recall debating this issue in great detail. I know some of the officials and they would recognise me from some points I raised on this matter. Farmers are subject to intense and rigorous examination and inspection, some of which are on the spot and others they would be forewarned about. They are now wondering as primary producers, with all they are subject to, if a systems failure led to this situation.

As Deputies Creed and Sherlock stated, only ten out of fewer than 500 pig farmers are involved. Notwithstanding the issue of secondary processing, should it have been possible to isolate the problem and not have a countrywide shutdown because the producers cannot be identified?

I will provide the Minister with an example of the consequences of this as sometimes one picture is worth 10,000 words. I come from an area with a large pig farming enterprise. It is currently slaughtering 1,100 pigs per week and creates employment locally for 30 people, which is a small fraction of the total number of employees but is significant in a local area. Its pigs would never be fed biscuit or bread meal. All the pigs are fed a cereal-based diet, 60% of which it grows itself and the rest it sources from local farmers. All its pigs are quality assured to the highest standard in the UK and Ireland. Some €185,000 of perfectly safe pork produce is sitting in cold storage awaiting a Government decision to release it back onto the market. Every day the Government delays in supporting the processors another 250 pigs are added to the backlog of pigs for slaughter. I was told today that in a number of days animal welfare will become an issue as all its pig accommodation will be full.

Another problem is that factories require pigs within a certain weight. The farmer said to me that the longer the Government leaves Irish produce off the shelves, foreign produce has more opportunity to take its place. That is the issue. It is real life and not fiction. I am reassured by the comments of Dr. Patrick Wall whom I hold in very high regard. The priority now must be to get the system up and running again to ensure Irish produce and processed pork meats are on the shelves of retailers at home and abroad. Otherwise, as a farmer said to me, vital market share will be lost as alternative sources of pork and bacon will be obtained from European competitors. The longer it drags on the more devastating the consequences will be for the industry.

I referred to the beef industry and thankfully the news is good. There is an excellent, comprehensive and rigorous traceability system in place from the farm to the fork, and that is something we always advocated. The Minister said less than 0.2% is involved.

I wish to raise the issue of employees. I call on the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to provide additional personnel and officials to handle the large number of people who will make applications for unemployment benefit. There are already significant backlogs for people already seeking unemployment benefit. I ask the Minister to ensure, in the run-up to Christmas, that if people are still unemployed they are not left penniless. I am aware that people may not return to work immediately. I need to have that matter clarified.

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