John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Much has been talked about in the past two days. The Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, sat through the whole lot of it. The Minister, Deputy Creed, was here all day yesterday.

Everybody is aware of the issues. What we want now is a final solution. We are 90% of the way there. A lot of good work has been done. In order to finalise it and get the industry open again, what is needed, as has been alluded to by Deputies Eugene Murphy and Rabbitte, is a phone call from Meat Industry Ireland to the producer organisations set up by the Beef Plan Movement. This would show good faith that they are willing to negotiate and talk about price, which is what it is all about. If that happens, I believe all pickets will be lifted and the industry will get back to some sort of normality. The Tánaiste pointed out the very important issues coming down the road. We need this issue out of the way before Brexit negotiations and Mercosur kick into action. The Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, is a practical man and I know he entered into this in good faith. I am asking him and the Minister, Deputy Creed, to use their good offices to impress on Meat Industry Ireland that one phone call is all that is needed, for one single person to make a call in good faith to the producer organisation that is set up, to solve the issue for now and get the industry back moving again. I plead with the Minister and Minister of State to use their offices to make this happen.

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