Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is difficult for me to continuously say that farmers are unhappy, but they are unhappy. All I ever hear from the Minister is what he has done and how it is the largest amount. Farming has never been in such a poor situation. I, too, attended a meeting with the IFA. It was held the night before the budget announcement and it was such a depressing meeting. The 70-odd dairy and tillage farmers who were there did not want to speak. The Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, who was present, stood up and said that the Minister had made an announcement off the cuff.

11 o’clock

The Minister got €7 million and he wanted it out there straight away. He offered the farmers €28 a hectare for an input cost of €600. What part of that is worthy of a slap on the back? I am not trying to be funny but this is our most important sector. When the farmers are gone, they are gone. The Minister needs to tell the public what it means when they are gone. He needs to tell the public that when we are eating beef that has not been sustainably farmed in Ireland, not only will it double in cost but it will be horrible. There will be no taste off it. The cost of living and the shopping basket will increase further. That is what the Minister needs to tell the people, because the farmers know.

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