Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and compliment him on the impact he has had on agriculture in only a short time. He provided a safe pair of hands when such was needed. It is great that we have him with us today.

In many ways, Brexit is the greatest challenge facing our food and drinks industry. The coming months and years will say much about how our industry develops. There have been major changes in recent decades in the form, for example, of quotas and mechanisation, but how we will deal with our largest market being placed in long-term jeopardy will be a significant test. How the Minister deals with these issues will be his legacy. I have faith that he will deal with them appropriately.

Unfortunately, there is a considerable amount of upset about how we handle the issues of sterling and our dairy industry. Approximately 60% of our cheese goes to the UK. We are building a magnificent empire in our dairy industry but tariffs could be placed on it. What of pork products from the North coming to the South and vice versa? What of labelling issues, for example, Ireland as the place of origin, and the sustainability that we have given our products so that we can sell them on international markets? Our real brand is our good name. As such, a cross-Border organisation needs to be established in order to ensure that the good name that we have built continues. These will be major challenges for us in the period ahead.

After a number of years, the dairy industry is moving forward again. However, Brexit has created doubt with regard to its pricing structures. The Minister has introduced working capital, which has been acknowledged as a forward-thinking move, but the real question for us is how we will deal with the market next door.

Other industries have been mentioned but what of our dairy industry's stock being sold abroad? Sterling is having a major impact on this matter.