Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I return to a matter I raised yesterday, which is the marts. I have now seen the regulations that the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, has said were introduced last night. Unfortunately, they were only published today, as is the norm, and there is mention of agricultural services. I raised this specifically with the Taoiseach but I do not know if the Tánaiste has ever been in a mart. I presume he has, for electioneering purposes at least. There is usually a catwalk across which people can walk and farmers will not buy livestock unless they can inspect it. I am aware of a mart where Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine officials stopped farmers inspecting livestock. If this continues, farmers will have to sell animals from homes and farms, leading to more mixing of people, not less. Will the Tánaiste provide some clarity on this? It would be counterproductive for farmers to sell from their premises.

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