Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the current plight of Irish tillage and grain farmers who find themselves in a major crisis due to the very inclement weather and high rainfall on the western coast. I visited some farmers in Galway on Sunday and it is gut-wrenching to see. When they called me I felt I did not need to go and see it as I am from a farming background and know what it is like when it goes wrong. However, I would advise Senators who have an interest in farming to see what I saw. I stood in a 14-acre field which was flat and unsalvageable. I was expecting that the farmer would have already cut the field but he had not. It contained an investment of €8,000 but the farmer now has no grain to sell as a result.

I raise the issue this morning because it has been flagged in this House and in the Dáil on numerous occasions. The Minister is well aware of it and he is holding a grain forum today with interested sectors, which I welcome. However, there is also a Council of Ministers meeting on agriculture on Monday and I was shocked, yesterday evening, to hear that despite this crisis, the Irish side had not made any effort to have this matter included on the agenda. I ask the Leader to make contact with the Minister and his officials on the conclusion of the Order of Business today to ensure this item is discussed at the Council of Ministers' meeting. It has to be included on the agenda and European compensation has to be secured to deal with this major crisis. Farmers will go out of business as they have absolutely no other income. In other sectors, such as the beef or suckling sectors, they may be selling at a loss or with a very small margin but they can still sell a couple of weanlings to boost cashflow and keep the show on the road. These men have nothing to sell. They have their money invested. It is similar to any of us going into a car dealership in the morning and giving big money for a new car but for some reason through no fault of our own not being given the keys and walking back out with the money spent and no car. They will not survive without income. There will have to be EU Commission compensation. I know it has been said that there cannot be, but there is a precedent. Deputy Darragh O’Brien secured European compensation for the vegetable growers when the frost killed their crop. In a similar fashion the weather has destroyed the grain on this occasion. I respectfully request that the Leader makes it a priority on our conclusion here to approach the Minister and his officials to have this included on the agenda for Monday’s meeting. I was shocked to hear that it was not already on it because the Minister was aware of this as is everybody in both Chambers.