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

In pigs against a target of 50%, we have already achieved 54%. In sheep the target was 20% and we have already achieved 19%. So Irish agriculture is forging ahead. There are always difficulties; every year some sector will have difficulty with price because we export 90% of everything we produce, which creates vulnerability.

Does Deputy Ó Cuív really believe that by putting a beef regulator in place we will have somebody in an office in Ireland who will be able to go to Riyadh, Berlin or Barcelona - or London for that matter - to regulate the price they are selling Irish beef there? In some kind of fantasy proposal he seems to be suggesting that somehow an Irish regulator will be able to determine the price of Irish beef on the shelves and in restaurants in different parts of the world.

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