Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply, but it was muddled to say the least. The most he said is that farmers will get an information pack. Farmers do not want an information pack; they want some of the kind of relief of the sort that Mr. Santini of the EU agricultural committee told us two weeks ago can be given by the Government. We know of farmers who could not get credit and who had to pay upfront for fertiliser in November and December. They are not able to sustain this astronomical increase in the cost of fertiliser. The Tánaiste says the Russians are the problem. We saw what happened last week with the Russians and the fishermen. We will have to send out a couple of farmers to resolve this issue, seeing as the fishermen were the only ones who could resolve the issue last week. The resolution to this problem lies with the Government. It can intervene and is failing to do so. Please tell me the Government is going to intervene. What interventions is it going to make in order to assist farmers? They do not need an information package. They are not stupid. They are well aware of what is going on. Their pockets are being dented hot and heavy and the Government is not doing anything about it even though it can. I am pleading with the Tánaiste to stand by the farmers of this country immediately.

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