Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I join the other Senators who asked for an urgent debate on the sugar beet industry. Unfortunately, in January 2005 a motion on the issue was put down in this House, but the required cross-party support to strengthen the Minister's hand going into tough negotiations was not forthcoming. Our prediction then proved completely correct. The danger is now that not only has the beet industry been wiped out, but the process could be repeated with the malt and barley industries. Some 80,000 acres of land now lie idle where beet would have been sown had Greencore not pulled out. The most disgusting aspect of Greencore's actions is that it is walking off the pitch and making sure nobody else can play the game after it.