Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister heard me raising this issue with the Taoiseach when he was present. I am very concerned about how farmers are being treated by the cartels, as Deputy Martin Ferris noted, and by what the Minister just said about dealing with the issues on which we can make some progress. That is to throw in the towel before he even starts. I ask the Minister to outline what he will do to safeguard the beef industry, as it is not being protected. From the way he has been speaking in reply to Deputy Ferris, one would think the farmers had been at the meat plants every day for the last number of years.

They have not protested for the past ten or 15 years. They are there now because they have been driven to it. What is the Minister going to do to safeguard them and the industry?

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