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

I welcome the Minister and thank him for being here. I also thank Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan for raising this issue. His doing so probably increased the chance that it would be dealt with tonight. It is an important issue, as I am sure the Minister will agree. It is exactly eight weeks since we had a discussion on the pigmeat sector. At that time, there were very evident challenges over increased input costs and depressed prices. Those challenges have only been exacerbated since the criminal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I welcome and acknowledge the fact that, since we last discussed this topic, the Government has provided a €7 million package to the sector. It will transpire to be worth approximately €20,000 per farm. That seems substantial until one talks to the farmers who are very fearful about their future, as I did today on Kildare Street. They relayed that they are losing almost €60,000 per month. No business could sustain those types of losses. Arising from the losses, pig farmers are now being refused grain on credit or access to bank loans. This is reaching the point of emergency. I am sure the Minister will have seen the IFA's submission on what has to be acknowledged is a very substantial funding stream of €100 million, although it has stated half of that can be provided through some long-term loan mechanism. My question is whether the Minister is in a position to deliver the type of package, through loans and grants, that will keep the sector alive.

See this speech in context