Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in wishing Tom McGrath well in his retirement.

The newspapers today report that the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, ICMSA, is calling for a yellow card system for farmers who are penalised. This is a very good idea which I support. The number of farmers being penalised has increased from 1,079 in 2009 to over 3,050 in 2012. This is a difficult time for farmers, particularly after the last couple of difficult years. Money that is lost to the farming community is also lost to the local community and local businesses. It is important that farmers in this situation be subject to a yellow card system.

My colleagues, Senators Kelly, MacSharry and others, have raised the issue of the height of loaded trailers. This follows on from a decision made by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to lower the load height that can be transported on our roads. This regulation is causing great hardship not only to members of the farming community but all transport companies are affected by it. They will have to reduce the height of the loads they carry and will have to have their tailers adapted, which will cost a great deal of money at a time they are already experiencing difficulty. This regulation should be suspended for the time being and reconsidered to give those people a chance to develop their businesses further.