Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I welcome the announcement that there will be a report from Europe today on secondary processing. The Taoiseach's response does not deal with the primary problem. He pressed the crisis button, decided on a total recall and has no plan to back it up. Can he tell the arrangements for the transport of product in retail outlets and supermarkets? What are the transport arrangements for product from processors? What are the arrangements for rendering this product? What transport and rendering arrangements have been made for products in retail outlets and processing units abroad? What decision has been made about organic pig producers who never use meal and are entirely separate from this?

If money is a problem — I understand there is a gap in the discussions between the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Government — they know what the problem is. Money will be received from Europe or it will not; it has no legal basis. There was no assistance given in the Belgian case a number of years ago. Whether that applies or not the system has ground to a halt because processors are unable to process product. That can only be started if they deal with the financial pressure caused by disposal, rendition, cost, transport and the opportunity to get back to work. There are 6,000 people employed in the processing industry, 2,000 of whom are on protective notice or on the dole. Housewives all over the country want to buy Irish produce, but every supermarket contains only Danish, Dutch and British bacon for sale. Sows will not wait because nature takes its course, so they have got to get into these processing plants.

What decision has the Government made on the big picture? I do not want us to get locked down on details. The Government should have been able to press a crisis button on Saturday and have a clear plan to deal with the consequences. That is not happening, following 16 hours of talks last night. I hope that this is sorted out by lunchtime today. If the Taoiseach and his Ministers want to see this production line in operation, then he should make the decision to ensure that it happens. He has the authority, the opportunity and the scope to do that, whether or not he gets any assistance from Europe. This crisis erupted because an illegal product found its way into the human food chain from a facility licensed by this State. The problem was not caused by farmers, processors or consumers. These groups want to see the production of high quality products, of which we have always been proud. However, the Government is responsible for the current delays in the system, under the polluter pays principle. We need to have that rectified and the Government is the agent in place to do that.

Will the Taoiseach instruct the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to set out the Government's overriding ambition? We want to see processing plants operating to full capacity. If the Minister so directs, that can happen today and those workers on protective notice can get back to work. Hundreds of thousands of consumers can then buy Irish pork products and An Bord Bia can lay out its strategy for the restoration of consumer confidence in this product at home and abroad. The Taoiseach needs to take decisive action quickly.

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