Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There was a strong delegation from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA, outside the Dáil today. Many of the Taoiseach's backbenchers came to meet them. They are being crucified by increased input costs, and the price of lamb paid to them has never been lower. It has dropped consistently over the last four months, despite what the housewife or houseperson pays for a leg of lamb in the shops or the butchers. There is huge gouging going on here and then there are all the input costs, for fertiliser, doses and everything else. We need to have a debate in the House to address this situation because these farmers cannot sustain this and we will lose many valuable farmers who work tirelessly. They want to be at home lambing today, not up here protesting but they are forced to do so.

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