Francis O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

When the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, addressed the House earlier she also said that a rail system was being promoted for the transport of beet from Wexford to Mallow. This would be very effective as was the rail system in years gone by, in our fathers' time, when cattle were transported by rail. It was a very effective system and it was very unfortunate that in my neck of the woods and that of the Minister, the railway lines were closed. The railways were discontinued and lines were lifted. That was a terrible disservice to our part of the country.

Nevertheless, farmers will certainly get as good and perhaps a better price than before for their beet as a result of the amalgamation. The Minister has assured us that farmers will get the same price and that they will be at no disadvantage in Carlow or surrounding areas as a results of the closure of the Carlow plant. We have seen job losses in the Cavan-Monaghan constituency from time to time but the loss of jobs in County Carlow would be a more serious problem. I understand the factory was established in 1926 and the closure is very unfortunate for people who have worked there for, perhaps, all their lives, and for their families. I sympathise with them. Nevertheless, we must move forward. We saw what happened with creameries. First there was the amalgamation and closure of small co-ops which was followed by the bigger ones. Now we have six major co-ops in the country. There was much dissatisfaction among farmers at the time but there is not a word about the situation now.