Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister's interest and willingness to monitor the situation, but I am disappointed with his response. I am requesting that some type of financial compensation be put in place. The Minister outlined the reasons it cannot happen under certain analyses, but there obviously is a need for the Minister of State, the Minister and the officials to meet with the people who have been affected to see how the rules can be made more flexible and responsive. The Minister of State said that aids "which simply compensate farmers for losses incurred without taking any steps to remedy the problem... are incompatible with the Common Market." However, if a scheme were put in place that would take the required steps to remedy the problem at source, it will get around that issue. I appreciate that money is in short supply, not just in the Minister's Department but in every Department, but we must look on this as a long-term investment and an insurance policy to ensure that the pig industry will remain functioning, active and growing into the future.

I ask the Minister to talk to his officials and to officials at EU level. If the Oireachtas and the Department do nothing, this industry could reach a stage where it could be almost wiped out. We cannot afford to have between 30% and 50% of pig farmers made financially unviable as a result of this unfortunate outbreak. I am not expecting a miracle response tonight but I ask the Minister to enter into negotiations with the affected parties to see if some type of compromise and, most importantly, some degree of financial compensation can be found.