Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If the Minister is looking for ideas, one is contained within this parliamentary question, which is that the Minster would set up a cross-departmental task force to look at all of these issues. I take the Minister's bona fides on this but the crucial test for the Minister and whatever third bodies are set up is whether his Department continues to see its role in all this as defenders and protectors of the meat factories. That is the perception. I believe this perception is based in reality, and in the role the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has played over the past years. The Department has seen its role as defending the meat factories no matter what, and to defend against all and any allegation or question that is put. The Minister's big challenge is, in the first instance, to break this down within his own Department, to put the right questions to the right people, and to ensure when questions are asked, either by Deputies in this House or by farming organisations, that the questions are answered. For far too long, responses to questions on meat factories have been too slow, if they come at all.

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