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

I reject any accusation that Teagasc was a part of manipulating anyone. I do not believe that it was. I recall cautioning people two years ago about the bull beef market. There is a role and a market for bull beef. It is an intensive form of beef production, where animals are slaughtered much younger and fed more intensively. This is what the market wants. In general, however, the market outside of Ireland is looking for us to produce steer and heifer beef. We are getting strong prices for those.

Due to, for example, some farmers' farm or business structures, they have decided to go down the bull beef route. That is a legitimate way of making money and Teagasc has been involved in offering advice, but they must produce that product to the specs demanded by the marketplace. For this reason, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of young animals slaughtered at the start of this year. As to farmers who have older animals that they need to get rid of and for which they do not want to accept the lower price, there is an ongoing negotiation, as is always the case, between farming organisations and the processing sector.

I have spoken to Mr. Owen Paterson, my counterpart in the UK, and to Ms Michelle O'Neill in Northern Ireland on labelling issues about which they contacted me. Many Irish farmers and food producers in Northern Ireland want to label their product as Irish while others want to label it as British depending on from where they are coming. Obviously, this would have advantages when selling into the Irish or British market, depending on where one wants to maximise returns.

We are working with our counterparts in Northern Ireland to look at ways in which we might be able to facilitate that. However, it is not as straightforward as one might think, because if we allow that, I must be able to stand over the integrity of food being produced in Northern Ireland, and I must have the access to ensure that is in place. We are working on that issue.

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