James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, to debate the bureaucracy that is putting farmers, particularly young farmers, out of business. Red tape is forcing farmers to comply with silly regulations, and the entire payment can be denied because of a simple error. That is totally wrong.

The Minister must also address the issue of Brazilian and Argentinian beef imported to the EU, when serious outbreaks of foot and mouth disease have occurred in those countries. When there was a threat of foot and mouth disease in this State three or four years ago, the entire State was closed down. We cannot allow the continued importation of beef from Argentina and Brazil when there is evidence of outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in those countries. We have an extremely restrictive system in Ireland and I do not see why those countries should be allowed to export to the EU while getting away with having an extremely lax control system. In countries such as Brazil and Argentina tagging systems or traceability schemes are not in place.

I read in a magazine last year that those countries abandoned the idea of tagging until animals are four years of age. There should not be one rule for Irish farmers and another for South American farmers.