Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Over the past number of weeks, beef farmers have been holding public meetings in west Cork and Kerry, which have been attended by hundreds of people who are trying to see if they can save their livelihoods. Prices for cattle have collapsed and many are working at a loss that they cannot allow to continue.

Hundreds of these farmers are angered and frustrated. As they see it, at the very mention of Brexit two years ago, factories took full advantage, prices have been dropping since and no one has said, "Stop".

We have to urgently look at other markets. If we do not, the beef farmers will face the worst crisis they have ever seen. The Iranian market is a significant option, with encouraging signs that it wants Irish beef, lamb, chicken and turkey. We face one stumbling block to a strong export market to Iran. Other strong exporting European countries have embassies in Tehran; Ireland has not. The Iranian ambassador has said that is a major stumbling block for Iran. Will the Government open an embassy in Tehran even if it initially operates with a skeleton staff? It would open Irish beef and other agricultural foodstuffs to more than 400 million people.

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