Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, we have to acknowledge the work that the farming community and the workers in the food chain have done in recent weeks to ensure there is food for everyone. I want quick-fire answers to questions on different issues. The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, said that if more than two people were diagnosed in a factory, or any business for that matter, the company was to contact the HSE. What are the consequences if a company does not do that?

Second, the role of the Health and Safety Authority has been brought up here many times. Every year, we get different numbers of farm visits and all the different things. Is it possible for the HSA to state that from 1 March to 20 May its staff had inspections in X number of meat plants in this country? We do not want to know the names of the plants. Is it possible to give that information for every Deputy who has brought up this matter so far?

My next questions are for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Is it wise to have family members of factory workers who have come into contact with the virus and are isolating still working in the factory even though they live in the same house? Why were the details about nursing homes announced in some areas to help ensure that we all batten down the hatches for a cluster, whereas information about factories was kept so far away?

I will raise some points that related to the whole Covid-19 issue. The price of cattle was brought up earlier. Bulls have been sold during the past month at €3.20 per kilogram. Farmers are losing money. Is the Minister going to bring in a beef exceptional aid measure?

There are 1,400 trained and responsible people in Ireland. The Minister is aware that there are probably 3,000 to 4,000 people from whom farmers get dosing stuff and fluking worms and all of that. There is a problem coming down the line. Is the Minister supportive of those people? Will a resolution be found? Can we still get our dosing stuff beside the mart where the shop was? Are we going to lose those jobs? I know the Minister is sending a letter to Europe. Will he back those people?

The next question is for both Ministers. There are 12,000 people in the forestry sector. We are talking about hitting climate targets and all of that. At the moment, we have a company that can sell timber to the United Kingdom but it cannot get a felling licence. Can anyone shed light on this? What is going on in the forestry service?

I know there have been court cases and problems. I know the Minister had to get ecologists. There is a backlog. There are problems for businesses and a great many jobs are at risk. Fine Gael is talking to the Green Party, which wants trees almost everywhere. The farmers of this country are being kicked up and down the road but when it came to Covid-19 they fed the country. Since the planes stopped, at least the weather got good, even though the farmers are still farming. What is going to be done for the forestry sector? It is at crisis point. The Government will not get near the targets we have set. There is nothing coming out of the Department. There is chaos in it. I am not blaming the Minister but someone has to take the reins in there now. We are losing jobs and exports. From talking to the timber merchants, it is clear they are in serious trouble at the moment.

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