Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Elderly people in particular worry about this and we should clear the air. Normal precautions should be taken and we should get real about it. It is one of these sensationalist scare stories spread by the media because people do not know enough to contradict them.

Today Greencore is holding its AGM at which it will announce massive profits and a bright future, and that it does not care that much about beet because it is mainly a British company dealing in snack and convenience foods. While it is looking at that bright future, beet farmers and the workers in Mallow have no future at all. To add insult to injury, to wish Greencore well on its way after leaving chaos behind it, we are giving it over €100 million. That is appalling and should be debated in the House. It is unfair on farmers, workers, the community and European taxpayers. That is not how we want our money spent and it gives a bad impression of the European project.