Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will speak briefly to accommodate my two colleagues. In putting down this motion, my colleague, Deputy McConalogue, is making a clear statement on the future of the suckler scheme. The cost of the suckler farming scheme is now a serious matter. This proposal of €200 per suckler cow would be most beneficial. Looking at my constituency, in Elphin there is a fantastic mart where farmers come twice weekly. That mart and those farmers keep that little town going. There is very little else in it. It is the very same story in Castlerea in County Roscommon. The life brought to the town of Castlerea by the mart and the farmers is significant. It is the same in Roscommon town. Looking at the Galway end of my constituency, as Deputy Anne Rabbitte will know, in Ballinasloe and Mountbellew most of the farmers are suckler farmers and they desperately need a boost now. Remember too that in many of those towns there are farming businesses such as machinery businesses.

I must cut my contribution short but I urge the Minister to take this on board. This a very sensible proposal from Fianna Fáil. We need it in the west and along the west coast. If we do not get something like that, many farmers will be under threat and many more businesses which are under pressure now will be in bigger trouble.

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