Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The attack on agriculture and farmers in this country by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments is relentless. It was bad enough until they brought the Greens on board and there has been a complete sellout of agriculture in this country. I attended a farmers' meeting recently where a farmer said to me that the attack by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Greens, Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit had made farmers feel like environmental terrorists as these poorly informed Deputies pointed the finger at them daily. Many farmers have told me they cannot wait for these parties to come knocking on the door. When the names are on the ballot paper, they will know where they stand.

Thank God I know exactly what it is like for dairy and suckler farmers in this country. I also know the struggles the sheep and pig sectors are going through. It is all because of political parties finger-pointing at the great people who are up day and night to put clean food on our tables. The new ludicrous plan is to wet our lands, as if one piece of wet land will not spread to a neighbour's land.

We have been asked to stop scaremongering here today. What the hell is wrong with those across the floor? There are nitrates targets. Farmers are on their bended knees and want to find out whether Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael will sell the agriculture sector and farmers because the Greens have wagged the tail and are walking. The Government sold the fisheries and is on the verge of selling the Irish farmer. It will never be forgotten for what it is doing.

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