Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think Deputy Berry explains it very well. As Minister, it has been my approach, and it will continue to be my approach, to work with farmers with whom we share this challenge. We all have to work together to meet the challenge. We are doing that and that will continue.

On the suckler and the beef sectors, farm organisations were adamant that there should be no scheme for them, so I said: "Grand, there will be none." Most of the calls and queries I got after that were from suckler farmers wondering why there is not a scheme. They said that if a scheme was voluntary, why would anybody prevent somebody wanting to do something voluntary. That is the mix of views that were there. The farm organisations were adamant that there should not be one. I want to back the suckler sector in every way I can. As I explained earlier, I have increased the payments from €90 per cow to €150 per cow. That is a reflection of how I am backing the sector.

Likewise, in regard to a dairy reduction scheme, which the farm organisations that are members of the Food Vision group have said we should explore, I am exploring that further with them by asking them for further detail on what exactly it would look like were it to happen before I would make any consideration on that or, indeed, discuss it with Government colleagues.

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