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

As I said in my response, I have raised this issue at European level. I appreciate that the cost of inputs is something we can endeavour to address. I have raised this issue at meetings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. Commissioner Moscovici, rather than the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Hogan, is responsible for anti-dumping tariffs because it is a competition issue. Obviously, this issue has been raised by Commissioner Hogan at Commission level. I would be less than honest if I failed to acknowledge that this initiative does not have widespread support. There are member states with significant indigenous fertiliser industries that are protected by these tariffs and anti-dumping levies. That adds a cost to agriculture. Nonetheless, I am personally committed to continuing to raise this matter. I do not think it would be accurate to say this issue lends itself to an easy solution. I should mention in the interests of accuracy that there are not 8,000 GLAS farmers. The number of farmers remaining in the scheme is approximately 5,000. I acknowledge that this is 5,000 too many. We are doing everything we can to address that issue. There is ongoing engagement between my Department and the farm organisations on the grain issue.

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