Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter for the first time with me today. It is a matter I have been working on for a significant number of weeks now and through the end of last year as the crisis emerged in the pig industry. I have met representatives of the Irish Farmers Association national pig committee directly and last week I attended a meeting of the vast majority of pig farmers nationally at a centre in the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin. I committed to work to deliver a support mechanism to help with the financial pressure they are currently experiencing. I am working with my officials on that. I met representatives of the banks as well as the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland to discuss supports and how to work with farmers through this very difficult period. I am very much aware of the issue and the industry is facing challenging times. It is subject to cycles but this is being acutely felt because of pressure from the input cost end and the price end. I and my Government colleagues will work with this really important sector. It is the third-largest part of our agrifood sector.

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