Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want the Government representatives who are going to Europe to highlight the emergency situation that our farmers are facing in respect of fertiliser. Fertiliser currently costs in excess of €900 per tonne. Most outlets are refusing to even quote prices for it. I know of one farmer whose costs went up by 54% this year. At a time when farm prices had begun to increase, they are now being fully eroded by the fuel and fertiliser cost. Russia is easily supplying the world with gas, which is used to make fertiliser. The crisis is all about global politics. Russia is currently supplying China with all the urea that it can produce. Equally, it will supply Europe, but the gas pipeline is not ready. This needs to be highlighted as a matter of priority. If the EU is considering imposing sanctions on Russia, I ask it to bear in mind that Ireland and its agricultural sector will suffer the most through such sanctions. The Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine told Teagasc to advise farmers to use different clover swards for grassland management. What he did not say was that clover will not grow without nitrogen and will only grow when the temperature is at least 14°C, which is probably from May onwards. That is too late. New grass will die out without fertiliser. Old grass grows at a temperature of 7°C, but is less responsive when it is not fed with fertiliser. The EU advised all European countries to reduce taxes. What did the Government do? It increased taxes using a percentage model, setting the fuel tax at 56.23%, which raised the fuel cost in this country. Now, it is taking €1 per litre in fuel tax from every person in Ireland. In 2020, it was taking 81 cent per litre. It raised the tax by 19 cent, giving it an annual turnover from the increased tax on fuel of €5.6 billion, when it is giving back €170 million in the ESB. The Government is taking €5.6 billion from the people of this country. It should be ashamed of itself.

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