Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Feighan has just stepped out of the Chamber but I congratulate him on the birth of his daughter. As the Cathaoirleach said, he will not qualify for paternity benefit as he is a Member of Seanad Éireann, which is the only anomaly in the Bill.

A big issue has emerged in the past few days in the agricultural industry regarding live exports. Cork Marts has announced its decision to pull out of the live export trade, which means one third of the live export calves that leave Ireland at the moment will now go to different markets. Cork Marts exported a third of all Friesian calves last year, mainly Holstein Friesian bull calves which it is important to get out of the system. They went to markets like Holland and Spain and the decision will have a major effect not only on the dairy industry, and those who produce dairy calves, but the beef industry where we will have the possibility of a major flood of undesirable animals into the market. These animals are more important for the veal trade than the beef trade itself. How we deal with the surplus is a major question for the industry and it is important that the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine comes to the Chamber within the next two weeks to discuss the issue as a matter of urgency. If we do not take action between now and next February it will be too late, as the knock-on effect in two years' time will leave us with a beef market flooded with underweight carcasses which will be hard to sell.