Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In November 2017, the Minister said, "All our data suggest there is not a national fodder crisis"; on 27 March 2018, he said, "It is the individual's responsibility to have enough fodder"; on 4 April, he said, "There is an availability of fodder in the country"; and on 5 April, the next day, he said, "If you have a problem, put up your hand". Since before the House resumed following the summer recess, Deputy McConalogue has been putting up his hand. He indicated that was a problem and there was an inevitability to the crisis we are now in but, unfortunately, the Minister was like somebody using a satnav. He just listened to the voices in the Department but he forgot to look at the signposts for road works and he ended up in the ditch.

There are farmers starving themselves now to keep their herds fed. We do not need the usual departmental approach of making something simple impossible, bureaucratic, unworkable and prohibitive but we need officials to do simple things simply. A meal voucher should be made available not just through the co-operative movement but through all independent providers and suppliers of meal to give farmers the supports they need. Payments should be front-loaded to those who need them and cognisance should be taken of the fact that many smallholdings even in good weather are on the bread line without a fodder crisis. They are in an emergency and we need somebody who is hands on, proactive and prepared to listen to those on the ground. We need action and we have been saying this since last September. This issue has been highlighted frequently. On 11 October 2017, I recall participating in a debate on Ocean FM with one of the Minister's party members who said I was crazy and there was no such thing as a fodder crisis. He said it was a myth and there was no issue. However, we are now in an emergency because the Minister did not listen. It is time to act.

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