Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

I thank all the farmers from every corner of the country who came to the Public Gallery tonight in order to listen and pay attention to this debate. When the Gallery is full, people often play to it. We have plenty of play actors in here tonight.

We are here on serious business, namely the Mercosur trade deal. As Deputy Fitzmaurice stated, the agriculture committee spoke with the Polish agriculture committee this evening. We are also speaking with the French agriculture committee and with committees in a number of other countries. We need to build alliances with like-minded countries. We are hearing on the grapevine that the Irish Government is not doing that to the level it needs to do it.

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