Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sorry. Deputy Ó Cuív was pro that treaty but was against subsequent ones. The one thing this motion lacks is credibility because if one fell through the ceiling of the House tonight and listened to Deputy Ó Cuív complaining about the state of rural Ireland, one would say he was never in government, not to mention sitting at the Cabinet table. In the past three budgets Fianna Fáil brought in, the only references to agriculture were those in regard to what it was going to cut out of agriculture. The one thing that is missing from this motion is a scintilla of credibility.

Deputy Ó Cuív was right when he said the farming family is at the centre of agriculture and the development of agriculture. It is regrettable, therefore, that when he had a chance when he was sitting at the Cabinet table that he did not stand up for the installation aid or the early retirement scheme when the previous Government sent them down the river, along with a lot of others schemes which it did away with when it had the opportunity.

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