Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The pig and poultry sectors are also undermined by this deal. Some 25,000 tonnes of pigmeat imports will be allowed into Europe at a reduced tariff and 180,000 tonnes of poultry meat imports will also be allowed in. That will have a huge impact on the European meat market.

Commissioner Hogan, who was appointed by the previous Fine Gael-led Government, has allowed this to happen. When Ray MacSharry was Commissioner, he tailored CAP reform to suit Irish farmers. I regret that we now have an Irish Commissioner who has sold out our beef industry. A 22-month premium introduced during Mr. MacSharry's time suited steer production.

It was a vital economic lifeline for the Irish beef industry. We gained billions of euro from it. Here we have all that work now being undone by the Commissioner, Mr. Hogan.

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