Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are on the same page with much of this but the difficulty is we really need to see this opportunity through now. There is a crisis. Deputy Scanlon is correct and there are many farmers in serious trouble. These are mainly the people with suckler cows and sheep who have bad land and no other options. What will they do? We need to do something for them now to ensure the family farm model stays in place and works into the future.

These farmers have an excellent product. The lamb and beef they produce is first class. We need to find a way of marketing that better. I know there is Origin Green and great work being done by Bord Bia. These animals are grass-fed, free roaming and an example of low-impact grazing, and it is a niche market so we should try to sell that product with a premium price. We should not worry about what comes from the Mercosur nations, Australia or anywhere else as we have the top quality. I know we export much of the product from Ireland and this would bring the opportunity to make a better return to the primary producer. It is really what this is about. The primary producer must get a better return for the product as well as getting a better crack of the whip with the payments.

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