Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Who takes the hit on the sterling differential? The might appears to be very much with the retailers which will be selling on the produce rather than the individual supplier. Obviously proximity in terms of fresh produce is a critical issue, and it is not easy in many cases to find alternative markets. It is quite interesting that Britain is not the only market being discussed. We heard today that Brazil and Argentina have a deal with the European Union on beef which may well pose some additional problems. The one thing about Brexit is that it is going to be uncertain all the way, and if a farmer is going to make a decision, for example, to grow a crop today, he or she needs to have some degree of certainty that the cost of growing it will be covered. That will not be done unless there is certainty that the farmer will get a little bit more than the cost of production. It is short-term thinking. I understand when the Minister talks about the chequebook, but the short-term consequences will be considered when those decisions are made. Are any short-term initiatives being looked at?

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