Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I asked the Minister what steps the Government proposes to take in light of the threat posed. Members will have heard yesterday the outpouring of anger by Irish farmers.

A survey which I conducted last August shows a 220% mark-up my the multiplies for beef and a 177% mark-up for milk for which farmers were at that time getting 31 cent a litre and are now getting only 21 cent a litre. Does the Government have a strategy to deal with this? The retail sector is like the wild west; there is absolute mayhem where Irish suppliers are being led like lambs to the slaughter by the multiples. Many of the multiples, in particular Tesco, are outsourcing products for their supermarket shelves. Does the Government have a job retention strategy for the primary producers and those involved in the retail sector?

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