Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, like the Deputy, wish there was no Border but there is and while there is, we have labelling requirements that inform consumers and buyers of Irish and British beef as to where those cattle have been reared, slaughtered and so on. At the moment, there is a very strong market for British-reared and slaughtered beef. There is also a strong market for Irish beef but it is not quite as strong in Great Britain.

With regard to the cartel accusations, I am aware of the fears that have been expressed and I speak to farmers on a regular basis about this. Farmers are frustrated that they are not getting more money for their beef, particularly when they look at prices in the UK. We need to look at this in a broader context.

The UK is our largest market, but we also sell beef across the rest of Europe. We are getting a premium for it in markets such as Germany and France, where restaurants and retailers are willing to ask for that premium price because we have built our product's reputation.

See this speech in context