Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy Coveney, is fully committed to dealing with this issue. The round-table discussions he convened have provided stakeholders with both a forum to express their views and an opportunity to meet the challenges that exist head-on. The description of these discussions as talking shops shows a lack of understanding of what is really involved. As the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, outlined, a number of key outcomes have emerged from the discussions to date. I refer, for example, to greater transparency in respect of price via the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's website, legislation for producer groups, an additional markets fund for beef and greater levels of communication between processors and farm bodies and organisations. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, both met the Northern Ireland Minister, Michelle O'Neill, MLA, in order to discuss the issue of live cattle being transported to the North in order to be finished. Deliberations in that regard will continue.

It must be recognised that UK retailers have a clear preference for animals born, reared and slaughtered either in Ireland or the UK. As the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, made it quite clear - and despite some of the claims made by those opposite - there are no barriers to the trading of live cattle from this jurisdiction to Northern Ireland or Britain. In fact, live exports to both destinations are significantly up on the same period last year.

One of the issues that arises in the context of establishing a regulator is that the Competition Authority already has a remit to ensure that markets function properly. If Deputies have evidence to the effect that markets are not functioning properly, then I ask them to bring it to the attention of the Competition Authority for full and immediate investigation. One Deputy stated that the Dowling report recommends the appointment of a beef regulator. I have read the recommendations contained in the report and I am not aware of any such proposal. It is unfortunate that Deputy McConalogue has left the Chamber, because it was he who made this assertion. I would like him to read my copy of the report, because it is the real version.

The Government's commitment to the beef sector is without question. Under the new CAP, €295 million has been set aside for the beef data and genomics scheme. The new GLAS scheme will be worth over €1.4 billion to the economy. In addition, the making of €10 million in payments under the beef data programme commenced this week. These payments will assist 26,000 farmers throughout the country. Under Fianna Fáil's proposals in respect of the CAP, the single farm payments of beef farmers - including those in my constituency in Wexford and throughout the remainder of the south east - would have been dramatically reduced. That is a point which has been overlooked by the Deputies opposite during this debate. Perhaps Deputy Ó Cuív might be able to educate some of his party's members with regard to the nature of Fianna Fáil's real proposals.

See this speech in context