Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is beside the Tánaiste so one or other might be able to answer my question. The Office of the Agri Food Regulator was established this year. At the time, I said the legislation was inadequate to provide the answers needed. Very clearly we need answers to explain the differential in the price of beef in the Republic of Ireland and in the United Kingdom. We export 70% of our beef and 50% of the beef we produce goes to Great Britain. There is a transport cost, obviously, but the differential in cost between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland seems inexplicable to me. The cost of transport to Northern Ireland to the mainland of Britain is not substantially greater than the cost of moving it from Wexford or wherever the processing plant is. Has the agri food regulator an explanation for this cost differential?

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