Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join in the thanks expressed to Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív and Deputy Michael Moynihan for highlighting this issue and bringing it to the floor of the Oireachtas, as they did some weeks ago. Deputy Collins referred to the crowd the Minister had in the Chamber with him. I join other speakers in congratulating Deputy Helen McEntee on her maiden speech and wish her every success but many of them criticised us for making this issue a political football. First, it would be wrong if the Oireachtas was not in a position to discuss this and, second, I would direct the Minister's colleagues to an organisation that does not normally criticise Fine Gael, the Irish Farmers Association, and its statement of 18 April: Fodder Crisis Demands Stronger Response from the Minister - IFA. That is a bit like an internal family argument, but we have to discuss this issue and, more important, how we got into this position.

Members on all sides of this House have a habit of dealing with an issue, moving on to the next issue and not learning the lessons. It would be appropriate for the Minister to have an investigation in the Department into how we got here and the reason the problem was allowed to happen because two weeks ago in my part of the country, Maloney & Matthews, which is the main animal collection service in Mayo, was reporting a 30% increase in fallen animal collections. Teagasc in Mayo reported, admittedly before the transport scheme came in but that was how serious the situation had become, that for every one bale available in the county eight farmers were looking for it at that stage.

The transport scheme and the fodder scheme is welcome. The support the Minister gave that is welcome. It was belated, but the supports given and the meitheal adopted is very welcome but the Minister's amendment states that he was planning this since September. We must find out how this situation arose-----

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