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

The Minister is saying that these are just private matters that the factories have control over and then, on the other hand, that the beef task force will look at it. The two positions do not relate. I am disappointed even with the terminology the Minister is using. He is basically reciting the factories' propaganda. They call it a bonus criterion. Every farmer I know calls it a penalty because it is one. It is not a bonus that people who meet the criteria get, it is a penalty those who do not must pay in the form of receiving a reduced price. Today, the Minister will see that the Teagasc annual farm survey has indicated that 40% of our beef farmers are still essentially non-viable. They would not be able to survive and stay on their farms were it not for the fact that they have other employment. The age profile of the people concerned is increasing. All of these things mean that urgent action must be taken so it is just not good enough to say this is a matter for the industry. If the farmers were doing something which was disrupting the work of the factories, the Department would intervene. The factories are bleeding farmers dry and using some of these rules to do so. There is a need for intervention.

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