Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Regarding Deputy Crawford's point and speaking of individual producers and about the industry in general, there are now much better on-farm facilities for pig production. Some years ago the sow-housing scheme was introduced and has been very successful. The farm waste management scheme was made applicable to the pig industry for the first time. During the course of the coming year we will introduce a new scheme with regard to loose housing for sows and that, too, will be an important investment scheme. There is considerable cost involved for the individual but in recent years grant schemes were put in place for the first time and have been important.

As to age groups, I speak to different groups of farmers from all sectors but I always remark that when I speak at an event related solely to pig production by and large a younger age group tends to be present than at meetings relevant to other sectors.

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