Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and compliment my colleague, Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív, on tabling this comprehensive motion. Deputy Ó Cuív has over the past few weeks set out a number of options which he would have liked the Minister to undertake to try to deal with this crisis. The word "crisis" is often over-used in this House and in general discourse. However, I do not think it an exaggeration to say that the current lack of fodder is a crisis. People involved in the knackery business and the statistics in this area indicate that the number of fallen and dead animals this year has surpassed any recorded for the past 30 years. I am not suggesting responsibility for this lies entirely at the Minister's door.

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