David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

We imported €99.9 million worth of sugar into Ireland last year and €76.4 million worth the previous year. The price of sugar on the world markets has never been higher - there is a shortage of sugar. We have gone from being a country that exported sugar to one that is totally dependent on foreign imports. We have also lost an industry and the Minister knows better than anybody else, or he should know, how important that industry was for farmers.

I come from the Midleton area of east Cork, which is known as the Paris basin of Ireland due to the quality of the land in the area. Most of the sugar beet produced was grown around Midleton. The loss of that industry was major. It is alarming that the decision made at that time, which destroyed the industry, was based on out-of-date information. That is what the European Court of Auditors has said. It comes down to that in a nutshell. Where was the then Minister at the time? Why did she not ensure the figures were updated and upgraded? Why did she and the Department not ensure the information on which the decision was based was up to date? The European Court of Auditors, an independent respected body, has made a definitive judgment and we have to take it seriously.

I will call on the Minister to come before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to engage in a proper, interactive debate on this issue.

As Deputy Doyle stated, it is crucially important that we factor into this debate the issue of ethanol production. Ethanol is being imported into Whitegate, which is just down the road from Midleton and the east Cork area. The factory in Mallow should never have been closed. It was convenient for Greencore that the Carlow plant had closed previously as it allowed the company to go to Brussels with only one factory in the bag, as it were. Only three countries in Europe ended up without a sugar industry. Even Nordic countries such as Sweden and Finland retained a sugar industry. Surely Ireland, which is further south and warmer, is in a better position that these countries to grow sugar beet.

The sugar industry was a profitable industry which paid for Christmas in many agricultural homes across the country. Contractors, hauliers, factory workers and farmers depended on the sector.

The decision to close the Mallow plant was taken very quickly. I recall being in the House at the time and trying to obtain information about the closure because it took place virtually overnight. Much more investigation of this matter is required.

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