Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator O'Toole's request for a reasoned debate on the regulations being introduced that will affect small butchers throughout the country. A number of years ago small abattoirs were regulated out of business and that is now seen as a serious mistake. They had to compete against heavily subsidised meat exporting plants which were supposed to be exporting meat but which are now selling meat on the home market. They just could not compete; one cannot compete against a business that is being heavily subsidised. We must be careful and I welcome the call for a reasonable debate. We must be seen to support small local butchers. If we continue as we are, we will simply regulate them out of business.