Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Aire as ucht teacht anseo um trathnóna agus an cheist seo a thógáil mar tá a fhios agam go raibh sé gnóthach le dhá lá anuas le Comhdháil na n-Airí thall san Eoraip. I thank the Minister for coming into the House because he has been busy for the past few days. First, I wish to register my agreement and support for the Minister in respect of reference years. This has been an important change that has been achieved and I presume that in the case of Ireland, we will go for the 2012 reference year to avoid any dislocation of the market for land. I presume the Minister intends to make a positive statement in that regard in the Dáil today to stop once and for all the crazy prices that are being sought for land because people think there may be a windfall gain for many years to come arising from taking back land or seeking exorbitant prices for its letting.

It would be important to assure the country that if that remains the position next June, that the choice will be for 2012, the Minister will be absolutely adamant that he will maintain that as a red letter issue on which everybody in Ireland agrees.

I am very disappointed with the deal on sugar. I would have thought the Minister would have been able to persuade his colleagues in the Council to adopt the Commission's position, which is to cease the sugar quota in 2015. The Government made revitalising the sugar industry an important part of the programme for Government. I am told it can be done before 2017, if the quotas go. It is disappointing that we are now being told we must wait until 2017 for that.

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