Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ireland's fodder shortage has become a fodder crisis and national emergency, and it is past time for action. Engage meaningfully with the farming community. This is approximately the fourth time I have stood before the Minister, but I now make an impassioned plea to him to dispense with the rhetoric of the past months and take action. He should listen to what Deputies McConalogue and Cahill have proposed.

I challenge the Minister, his Department and the Government to let their minds pass the Pale. They have a complete disconnect and denial of what is going on in rural Ireland. Where is the Minister's forward planning now? Where are his sense of roots and his values? He stood across the floor and told us about his family farm, but where is his value for rural Ireland, for farming, which is the backbone of our economy, and for the work of the farming families who have remained committed to Ireland? Where is his sense of compassion?

Farmers are undergoing hardships that are endangering their mental and physical well-being. Does anyone care? Is Deputy Creed a Minister who cares? I hope he is. If he is, he will support what Deputies McConalogue and Cahill have proposed and introduce a hardship fund to help small and medium-sized farmers. He should also introduce a meal voucher scheme and make low-cost credit available. He should open the low-cost loan scheme, which was announced more than seven months ago. When will farmers have access to it? Do not tell me that it will be in the back end of 2018. He must ensure that GLAS balancing payments and sheep subsidy payments are made.

Support our motion, Minister. Do not ignore me.

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