David Norris (Independent)

I am glad Senator Mansergh has provided me once again with the opportunity to partly disagree with him. While I am in favour of CAP reform, the Senator is correct to state that agriculture is a very important element in Ireland and should continue to be so. On the other hand, I have no sympathy whatever for the proprietors of the Matthews factory farm. Such places are concentration camps for animals and are extremely dangerous. If we lose respect for other creatures on this planet, we quickly lose respect for ourselves and for our fellow humans. Avian flu spreads like wildfire and the virus is capable of mutating within these horrible places, in which hundreds of thousands of birds are stuffed. Yesterday, I mentioned this matter to my colleague, Senator Henry, who indicated that in some places the birds are so overfed their poor unfortunate legs cannot hold them up. Therefore, I have no sympathy for the Matthews company. Last April, employees were filmed playing bat and ball with live turkeys. There is no respect whatever.