Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since my appointment I have been actively engaged in meeting all stakeholders in agriculture, primarily those inside the farm gate. I have met with the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association, ICMSA, and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association, ICSA, and I propose to meet soon with the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association, INHFA. I am acutely aware of the income crisis inside the farm gate and the fact that in many respects it is out of kilter with what is happening for those employed in the food industry generally, where returns are still quite handsome and profitable. I do not propose to convene a joint meeting. I do not see a useful purpose in meeting the dairy forum and the beef forum jointly, because the way they are constituted is to represent the issues in each of those sectors, which in many instances are separate and different issues. I propose to have a meeting of those forums very early this month.

The Deputy rightly identifies the sheep and beef sectors as being at the lower end of the farm survey by Teagasc. The Government is rolling out and hopes to finalise a submission on a €25 million sheep scheme to the European Commission. I would welcome the Deputy’s input and that of other interested parties in the ongoing consultation.

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