Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. I note that while he covered the engagement had with the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Hogan, regarding the fallout from Brexit, he gave very little attention to the other part of the question relating to the beef forum and any actions, timelines or deadlines agreed at the most recent meeting of same. That is because the beef forum has become irrelevant and has not been doing the job it was set up to do. I understand and accept that the Minister does not have a direct role in setting prices but the price that farmers are getting for their produce is central in the context of Irish agriculture. The income of farmers is an important matter and should be a matter of concern to the Minister. Unfortunately the beef forum, which was set up by his predecessor, Deputy Coveney, in 2014 has become little more than a talking shop. Indeed, the President of the IFA, Mr. Joe Healy, said recently that under the Minister's chairmanship, the forum has become a "mudguard for inaction". The Minister must engage seriously with the beef forum to ensure price transparency in the sector. A commitment was made to introduce price transparency to the sector but there has been no action on that to date.

See this speech in context