Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

It is not just now that we recognise the difficulties which will face this sector this year. We know historically about the welcome increase in prices in 2007 and the early part of 2008 and the subsequent major surge in supply onto the world market. The dollar, New Zealand currency and other factors all play a role in making it difficult for Europe to sell product. The prices, as all of us know, are set by the processor and not by the Department. I began intensively lobbying the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development last November regarding the need to use the market management measures and the aid to private storage was brought forward on 1 January, two months ahead of the normal time.

I met the Commissioner in the latter months of 2008 to impress upon her the need to make the best and most effective use of the management measures which are in place.

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