Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I too voice concerns, as expressed by Senator O'Toole and others on the EUROSTAT pricing survey which shows clearly that this country is now one of the most expensive in the eurozone. Farmers and farming communities are the primary producers of top quality, green produce. On many occasions in the House we have debated how we can find new export markets. They are the ones who are doing the hard work. How must they have felt when the statistics were published yesterday? They must be demoralised to see the profit margins being whisked off by the multinationals, as my colleague opposite indicated. It is important that we have a debate on sustainability in Irish produce, the future of farming and how profit margins can be retained to sustain farming families.

Two Government Bills are going through the Houses of the Oireachtas that are essentially anti-rural, as most Members of the House realise. It is the thin end of the wedge. I refer to the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill and the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill which are an attack on traditional, rural pursuits that date back as far as Fionn and the Fianna. The Leader's party calls itself the Soldiers of Destiny and the word "Fianna" is in the title. I urge Members to take the admirable stance adopted by Senator O'Donovan last week and stand up and be counted in support of rural Ireland because this is only the start-----