Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Fianna Fáil for bringing forward this timely and important motion. I welcome all those in the Visitors Gallery. It shows the concern people around the country have. There is the same concern in County Kerry where there have been savage attendances at Beef Plan meetings. We thank the people involved for organising and attending the meetings. They are putting their shoulder to the wheel and saying enough is enough and that they are not going to take any more.

The Minister is not doing enough for live exports or to provide adequate lairage facilities in Cherbourg for calf exporters. He is not doing enough for the suckler cow men. There was a farmers' meeting in Sneem the other night and everyone in attendance was over 75 years. That is what is happening. Young people are falling away from farms and that trend is going to continue.

I appeal to the Minister and the Government. Deputy Creed is the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Government will be remembered for what it does and what it will not do. This is its time. Farmers are on their knees and their heads are down. It is up to the Minister and the Government to do something to create more live exports. The rules the factories are using are keeping down prices for farmers. They include the four movements rule, the 24-month rule, the 30-month rule and the 70-day retention period. It is the Minister who must talk to the factories and bring them to task and ensure they are not using their monopoly against the farmers. He must take off his coat and go out. Charles Haughey went to Libya and into a tent with Colonel Gaddafi. Surely the Minister is as good and can do something like that and make a name for himself. This is the time to do it because farmers are on the ground. In the last couple of weeks there has been a small market for bulls in Turkey and already it is making a difference in places such as Castleisland in County Kerry.

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