Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join in the welcome extended to Ms McGuinness and thank her for an inspiring address. As the milk quota issue has been addressed, I will confine my question to a topical issue. From what Ms McGuinness is hearing in Europe, has long-term damage being done to the Irish food industry? As a country, what must we do to rebuild the fine reputation we had built up over the years? Does Ms McGuinness discern much long-term damage? As for the issue of the availability of land, is anything happening in Europe to incentivise older farmers to pass matters onto the next generation or to lease on a long-term basis? I met representatives of Macra na Feirme recently and they are most concerned about that issue.