Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader to raise with the Minister for Agriculture and Food the crisis in agriculture that has been exacerbated today by the charges to be imposed on farmers for rendering, which will result in a reduction of €40 per head. I also ask the Leader to request the attendance in the House of the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for consumer affairs to explain the views of the Consumers' Association of Ireland that big stores are making huge profits as the price of agricultural produce falls. This has serious implications because, according to a European study, agricultural prices in Ireland have fallen by 9%, yet this benefit is not being passed to consumers. At the same time farmers are being ripped off and are not being paid for their products. It is a double rip-off on both farmers and consumers.