Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comments at the beginning of his contribution. A number of Members who have contributed do not realise the pressure on farm incomes currently. All sectors of farming are under huge income pressure, including the dairy, grain and pig sectors. The beef sector is heading down the same road with increased production and no plans to rectify the imminent income crisis. The beef forum has failed miserably to deliver for us with no improvements coming out of it. Last week, the tariff on fertilisers was not removed, which was very disappointing. We as farmers are producing food to the highest standards and we have made huge investments to do that but now we are being asked to produce food under the cost of production. That is not sustainable and has to change.

Reference was made to banks earlier. A structure must be put in place under which banks must wait for repayments due from farmers in 2016 without penalty, otherwise many farmers will go bankrupt. A number of countries have introduced supply controls. That is a dangerous precedent for Ireland as an exporting country, and we have to guard against that. It could undermine the Single Market, which is important to us. The increase in volumes that can go into intervention and how quickly they have been taken up shows how long the distressed state of our dairy market will last. Something must be done and I was disappointed to hear the Council of Ministers will not meet again until June because additional measures must be put in place to ensure something is done to alleviate the crisis that is coming towards us like a juggernaut.

See this speech in context