Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In mid-July, my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group and I made a direct plea to the Minister and the Government to intervene formally in order to avert the further destabilisation of the beef sector. We stated that we were increasingly concerned at the absence of a beef round-table forum at which grievances and positions could be constructively aired and that would in turn have allowed us to address the long-term challenges facing the beef and suckler sectors. However, it was to be several weeks more before the first talks began. The Government was too slow off the mark. The Minister and his colleagues sat idly by. When the Government finally started talks, it said on a Wednesday that they would be held on the following Monday. This was at a time when the pickets were already at the gates and workers were threatened with losing their jobs. The Government sat idle while Rome burned.

Beef farmers told us that they were experiencing significant levels of frustration with the Minister's apparent unwillingness to take a more hands-on approach to the crisis affecting the industry. Like us, the Minister and the Minister of State are rural Deputies. We had all witnessed the unprecedented anger among farmers, yet there was still a delay in getting the talks going. There remains a palpable sense that, despite the agreement reached at the weekend, the situation is not materially better for the majority of farmers. As Deputy Nolan and, quite eloquently, Deputy Fitzmaurice stated, these are historic issues and have been ongoing for more than 30 years. If it walks like a cartel and looks like a cartel, it is a cartel. The fear and ineptitude of successive Governments in tackling this issue have been disgraceful.

What of the permanent government? I have no dispute at all with the former Secretary General of the Minister's Department, but he has been appointed as the independent chair. What would have been wrong with appointing Mr. Kieran Mulvey or someone else who was truly independent and with having openness and transparency? In his time as Secretary General, the man to whom I refer was involved in drawing up many of the rules that farmers want removed, for example, the 30-month rule and the four-movement rule. By any yardstick, how could he be classified as independent? It was shambolic, to say the least.

Some great work was done in forcing the Beef Plan Movement off the field through threats of injunctions. Then the Independent Farmers of Ireland group came along and the Minister reluctantly allowed it into Agriculture House last weekend. It was treated despicably, I might add. I salute Ms Alison De Vere Hunt from Tipperary, Mr. Ger Gough and Ms Maggie Delahunty. They were left in a room on their own for hours without anyone returning to them. To be treated condescendingly by the assistant secretary was despicable. Today, the Taoiseach dismissed them as if they were not there or talking, but they are there. They are at the gates. They will leave the gates as soon as they get a base price per kilogram. It is as simple as that. As Deputy Fitzmaurice said, the issue can be resolved, but we need that base price.

Now there are threats and embarrassment and upset about people in my town of Cahir, where there has been a temporary shutdown and nearly 400 jobs have been displaced, with a further 180 to go. Have these people any loyalty to our workers? I have tried all through this situation to negotiate cattle in and cattle out, meat in and meat out, and for unimpeded access by all kinds of repair and maintenance crews in Cahir. I thank the Garda for its involvement and the protestors for being cordial.

Management is trying to bully people such as this. As Deputy Fitzmaurice said, those of us who employ people would not dump them on the road but would keep them on as best we could and find work for them. The companies need to be brought to heel. Cartels have been operating since Charlie Haughey bailed them out. They started at that time and the position has got worse since then. The Minister must get involved immediately and drag these people to talks, including the independent farmers and the representatives of the people who are at the gates of the factories now. We will find a way forward here through talking. That is what we need.

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