Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am referring to farmers who I have met or know and who are suffering because of these issues. The Minister made a rebuttal on a specific farming issue, but I am not making a point about agriculture in general. The Minister keeps citing the CSO statistics - we would like them to be verified - on 30,000 new jobs being created in the sector, but there is a major crisis and the Minister's intervention shows that it is not being taken as seriously as it should be.

We want this motion to be adopted. I thank the Minister for attending, as his presence is important. I thank my colleagues for raising this matter. I hope that some action will follow and that farmers in this part of the market will receive Government encouragement and action.