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

The issue I wish to raise is the collapse in beef prices, a serious issue for the 80,000 dry stock farmers in this country. Prices are down 20% since last year, with farmers now getting €200 to €300 less per head. This is happening because of labelling issues that have not been dealt with by the Minister, the new slaughter criteria that were introduced and price manipulation by processors. What does the Government intend to do about it, other than setting up talk shops and fora to produce reports? When does the Minister intend to sit down with his Northern Ireland counterpart, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle O'Neill, and the British Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to resolve the labelling issue? Irish beef is sold off the shelves in Britain at the same price as British beef but there is a huge difficulty in selling cattle from this jurisdiction into the North. What action, rather than talk, will the Government take to deal with this crisis, which is affecting so many families across the country and is pushing farmers over the edge?

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