Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

10 o’clock

I again appeal to the Minister to ask the working group to expedite its work. I have concern about the compensation being adequate for pedigree cattle. Those of us who were reared on farms and represent rural communities take great pride in looking at quality animals at our shows every year and in visiting individual farmers. I have a concern that valuable pedigree lines could be lost. I know of some individual farmers who win national awards every year and would have a number of substantive pedigree herds. If they are unfortunate enough to have a partial or total depopulation, it will mean financial ruin for them. We need to address that particular matter. I emphasise again that our farmers have built up quality herds over the years. When disease comes into a herd it is, to use a phrase we have often heard, like a death in the family. Farmers take such pride in the work on their farms and in building up herds and having the quality produce we all champion in this country. We talk about the quality of the food we export to so many countries throughout the world. We need to ensure the primary producer-----

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