Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the very important matter of agrifood market priorities post Brexit. As other Members stated, there has been so much talk about Brexit that we have nearly talked ourselves out of existence. There is a definite imponderable. we do not know what will happen. Brexit is causing untold damage and uncertainty within the agricultural sector.

As the Minister, Deputy Creed, and the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, who are present, know well, both being in the farming business, the agricultural sector extends far beyond the farm gate. It is of huge significance in rural Ireland, and urban Ireland if I only cared to listen. When agriculture does well, Ireland does well. Indeed, it was the farming sector that brought us out of the previous three recessions. Farmers spend money when they are making it. They employ local, buy local and support local.

Obviously, this issue will require sustained interdepartmental co-operation. I have question marks regarding many Departments, how adept they are at managing change and how lethargic they are in many areas. That is why I raised the need to maintain the continued availability of favourable terms for investment in primary agricultural processing and marketing under the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, for example. That is badly needed because farmers cannot get cash. The banks are not supporting farmers who want to invest and they have not done so since the recession. They may say they are, but they are not. They are looking for huge amounts of collateral. They nearly want the farm, the farmer's partner and their children as collateral. It is ridiculous. The Government knows that, but it is not tackling the banks because it is afraid of them. The banks are controlling the Government.

I acknowledge that the SBCI offers a Brexit loan scheme. Its website states that the loan scheme is offered "in partnership with the Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and is supported by the InnovFin SME Guarantee Facility, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments". That quote tells us what we need to know. There are many agencies involved and the process is very bureaucratic for a farmer or agribusiness which wishes to avail of it. That said, the conditions do not make it readily accessible to many farmers, even though to apply one must have fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of €50 million or less. Only very large operations or agricultural industries would have that many employees or that much turnover. It caters for businesses with turnover of €50 million or less.

See this speech in context