Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can assure the Deputy that the Government understands only too well the pressures that the sector is under. It has been a difficult year for beef on many levels.

Regardless of the question marks and frustrations that some people may have concerning factories, their interactions with farmers and so on - that is an ongoing and testing relationship, as it should be - something much more fundamental needs to be dealt with in the context of Brexit, and that is the issue on which we are focusing. This is a Government that has always prioritised agriculture and farming and always will while my party is a part of it. Given that we realised and focused on the vulnerabilities of the agriculture and farming sector at an early stage in the Brexit discussions, we will be prepared if necessary in the context of there being no deal.

The Deputy asked for certainty and clarity, but one cannot provide absolute certainty if the other partner in the decision making - the UK - cannot provide it either. We have always approached Brexit by necessity, having to adapt to decisions that are being made in Westminster. That is what we will continue to have to do, but we have a close and ongoing co-operation, discussion and partnership-----

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