Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister. It is a challenge to follow Senator Callanan, particularly when I agree with what he said.

Earlier today we debated the Forfás consumer pricing report, published recently, and talked about the challenges facing our citizens with price increases across the board. My contribution to this debate will focus more on the consumer than the farmer.

I am sure Members will excuse me but I enjoy telling the Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, that his title should be "Minister for Food and Agriculture". I know that is not correct alphabetically but I have always been impressed by the fact that the Minister has worn the food hat rather than just the agriculture hat. He does so again in this debate.

There are two reasons I welcome the recent agreement on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The first is that it will bring Irish farming a step closer to being market-driven, a point made by Senator Callanan. Such a move is so long overdue we have to welcome it. For over 30 years the CAP has acted as a barrier between Irish farmers and the marketplace. It gave them an incentive to produce food that nobody wanted. Instead of focusing attention on meeting the real needs of the European and world consumer, this agreement will bring us a step closer to seeing the end of that policy.

Some years ago Commissioner Franz Fischler, with whom the Minister appears to have a very good relationship – he seems to be able to twist his arm and get something from him that others would not be able to get – appeared before the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food. He spoke for 25 minutes after which I challenged him because he had not mentioned the customer once. He just talked about agriculture, farmers and food, with which I had a difficulty. When he came into this House a year or two later, somebody must have tipped him off to the business I was in because he mentioned customers in every second sentence of his contribution. I would like to think I had some influence in that regard, although I doubt that was the case.