Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the future of the dairy industry in Ireland. Average milk prices this year will probably be in the region of 24 cent or 25 cent per litre. In 2014 dairy farmers got 38 cent per litre. The income of an average dairy farmer milking roughly 70 cows will be down by up to €50,000 this year. This crisis is affecting every part of rural Ireland and there is no real solution. As a nation, we need to examine how we will support family farms. Retailers and the industry need to move together. Today, one can buy milk in Aldi, Lidl and other outlets for six times the farm gate price. One can buy a smaller 250 ml product for the same price as a farmer is paid for 150 litres, which is roughly 25 times what a farmer receives. The situation cannot continue unless retailers work with industry and farmers. If this does not happen the dairy industry will not survive.

A labelling process should be put in place. The farm gate price of products should be put on labels.I do not believe the general public know that they are paying six times the price of the product, or in other places up to 25 times, depending on where you buy it. There needs to be a debate on this. The Minister needs to come to the House and look at what legislation we can pass to put a labelling system in place so the actual price of the farm gate product is put on the product itself. If we can do that, the general consumer will realise exactly what the farming community is making, or how little it is making. If we fail, we will have a situation that, unfortunately, our dairy industry and our family farms will not survive.