Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government is blackguarding every individual farmer with regard to licences. Sin scéal eile. Sugar beet was mentioned previously. What about our fishing industry? Are we going to sell out everything that we have? It is nothing short of a sell out. It is a scandal and it cannot be accepted. The Irish people are growing sick and tired of this, particularly when they see our Taoiseach and former Taoiseach heading out to the World Economic Forum, WEF, a secret body that is dictating policy here. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, was here earlier today talking about his own issues but he has been batting for the banks, bankers and all of the big finance houses and the so-called funds all of the time.

Before the Minister of State does another thing on this issue she must address the fact that hundreds of farmers have public private partnerships with Coillte. They entered into contracts with Coillte 25 or 30 years ago and they are being blackguarded. They were wronged with regard to those contracts. They were misled and they are not being paid. Some are going to arbitration but the arbitration process is being frustrated. It is nothing short of a disgrace. One poor woman in Kilkenny called Alice went to her death cutting a tree, she was so distracted. I met many such farmers over the weekend and my goodness, they are so angry and cross because they have been double crossed by a Government that is supposed to represent them. The Government would sell out the very clothes we are wearing and every last vessel that we have. I cannot believe the Government will not accept this motion tonight, or that Sinn Féin will accept that. We will not accept it. We will be calling a vote on behalf of the people we represent.

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