Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with my colleague, Senator Michael Mullins, in regard to the graduates from GMIT. It is vitally important that those graduates are recognised because we will need them in the spring. There will be jobs there for those people, so this is vitally important. This issue raised was earlier this morning with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, who is looking at it. We will all continue to work with him to ensure this problem is resolved.

I welcome the good news early in the new year that the US beef market has been opened up to us, having been closed since 1996. This is very good news, in particular as 2014 was a very difficult year for the beef sector in Ireland. Since the market has opened up, we can see an improved price for store cattle and for beef.

I also welcome the progress made on the rural development programme. We hope GLAS, about which I spoke earlier, will open up in the springtime. That is when we will need those students to help farmers prepare their plans for GLAS. I hope 2015 will be a very positive year for the farming sector.