Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I want to outline that earlier this week I met the leadership of the IFA in County Kerry. We had a comprehensive meeting because the representatives knew there would be speaking time before the Minister this evening. It is important to speak on behalf of the farmers and not only those from Kerry. The farmers in Kerry have the same problems as farmers from around the country. What I would like to do is address the issue of the €24 million that was unspent last year from the beef exceptional aid measure. At the time of the last budget in October 2019 the Minister said he had €85 million for beef farmers. There was no mention of taking any money from the BEAM to finance the beef environmental efficiency programme at the time. I am aware of comments the Minister made since to the effect that the €24 million is not available to us now and that it is already spent. The Minister cannot go around spending the same money twice. It was either there or it was not there. The funny thing about it is that the Minister never told us it was money that he was announcing twice. I want clarity on that. Is the €24 million there or not?

The Minister is well aware that before the Covid-19 crisis the price of beef had gone down considerably. It could have gone down by between €100 and €200 per head. As of today, it is €3.40 per kg. People are losing money. Farmers are losing money by producing beef right now. People want to keep working and farming. They are doing their best in these hard times but we will need help. We need practical things to happen. For instance the Minister could bring forward the farm payments. For God's sake, will the Minister do everything he can to bring forward any farm payments that will be out at the end of the year? Will he do this with his counterparts in Europe to bring forward all payments as early as July, or beforehand if he can, to help people with their cashflow?

I also want to speak about our milk farmers. Milk is down in price. It was down 2 cent per litre for March. We do not know yet what the price for April will be. Anyway, in every sector, whether it involves sheep men or beef men, people are finding it so difficult to make money.

I want to tackle the importation of beef from outside the EU. Last year, we imported over 320,000 tonnes.

Surely be to God that type of importation of beef from outside the EU should be suspended in these difficult times. I am calling on the Minister to do everything he possibly can do to help our farmers.

I also want to speak about our fishermen who also are in trouble. I know the Minister has been negotiating with his EU counterparts. He discussed it with me and I thank for him for doing that. As the Minister has said himself, the best place to store fish is in the water. It is about not bringing in fish, storing it and then flooding the market at some other time. The proper thing to do is have a scheme to allow the fishermen survive while being tied up at the pier. It is not sensible that they should be fishing for intervention. We have these categories of fishermen who are in trouble. We also have the situation with trawlers under 10 m which are in trouble. Will the Minister do everything he can to help all sizes of trawlers and all categories of fishermen? They are in west Cork in Castletownbere, Cahersiveen and Dingle. All they are trying to do is make a living or supplement their existing incomes through fishing.

We have mussel farmers trying to do their best but who are also in trouble. Now more than ever before, I am calling on the Minister to do his level best for these people. He must remember that we want him to be togged out on the field fighting for our farmers and fishermen. We want him to do everything he and his Department can do in these difficult times.

With regard to regulations, now is the time to show leadership. We know we must have cross-compliance and regulations in place. However, common sense needs to be put in place too. Officials in the Department must be instructed by the Minister to give farmers a break. They are tied up with red tape and every other colour of tape that one could possibly imagine. Will the Minister please give them a break and allow them to do a simple thing, namely, make a living or part of a living to the best of their ability?

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