Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to join with my colleagues when they talk about farm incomes and the price of milk. I welcome the EU Commission decision to intervene in the price of milk. The price of milk has dropped from 40 cent a litre to 28 cent a litre. Yesterday the Commission decided it would set a floor price for intervention. This floor price is currently 21 cent a litre. It is important that this is raised closer to 28 cent or 30 cent to make sure there is an income there for farmers. Since quotas were abolished farmers made huge investments over the last six to 12 months and we do not want to see their backs now put to the wall after making those investments. This is an important move by the Commission. Milk production was at its highest in June and by setting an intervention price it will make sure that these farmers have an income into the future.

Quite a number of young farmers have applied to Teagasc to do a green certificate course, which is presenting some difficulties. Teagasc says that it does not have enough staff to carry out the courses but it is very important that every measure is put in place to enable those farmers to complete their course by October 2016 or the farmers will be penalised under the direct payments system. This is an issue for Teagasc to take up and make sure those young farmers get a chance to do the course.