Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Rural Independent Group on bringing forward this motion. One of the key elements of the beef crisis, which is one of the things that has led to the focus on this, is the suckler farmer. Suckler farmers in the west of Ireland are under significant stress. When one looks at the economics of it, one can see that they do not work very well. I commend the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the committee's report on this. The suckler cow is kept every year and costs more than the calf is worth as a weanling when it is sold. That is the only thing that cow is producing. This is the stark reality concerning where the problem lies with regard to the suckler farmer. It costs more to keep the incubator farmers use to produce the animal than the animal itself so suckler farmers are totally dependent on the money they get in the post through direct farm payments, the GLAS scheme and other schemes. That is why it is vital to ensure that these farmers have access to these schemes and that they get the money on time when that money is due.

One of the things we need to think about is how that can be sustained as we move forward because suckler farming in the west of Ireland is in crisis. Unless the price rises for the beef farmer, it will not be possible to increase it for the suckler farmer. Key to that is looking at how that model works and we need work on this. The agreement reached between the farmers and the factories on foot of the crisis in the past few weeks is a basis on which to build but it is a long way from where we need to get to. The reality is that farmers are at their wits' end. Their backs are to the wall, they do not see a future and we need to recognise that. I again commend the motion. All of us have a significant job of work to do to turn this around because this entire industry is in crisis.

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