Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the concerns regularly expressed by the farming community and also with the issues around Covid recently. The Deputy will know that in advance of the last election I put forward the policy for a national food ombudsman to address some of those issues. It is included in the programme for Government. Other parties, including the Deputy's, did not have any suggestions in that regard on how to address that issue. I look forward to any ideas Deputy Carthy has, along with all the farming organisations, to try to ensure that office is robust, and which will help to address that issue.

The terms and conditions of workers are very important. Workers must be properly protected and looked after. Everything I will do in my Department, and working with other agencies, will be about ensuring that is the case. This is why I will be establishing, and working with the ESRI, a review on how we can learn and try to improve the situation, while working with other Departments also. If there are particular issues which Deputies become aware of, even if not through a specific person, it is important those are fed back. Any issues or situations where people are not being treated properly must be addressed. As the Minister I will do everything I can to ensure that is the case.

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