Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a troubling report in this week's edition of the Farming Independent on possible abuses in the poultry sector. Following a complaint by a chicken farmer in County Cavan, Mr. Alo Mohan, Ms Marian Harkin, MEP, raised questions at EU level about possible VAT avoidance schemes in the Irish poultry sector. This appears to have been confirmed by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, before the European Parliament. If it is true, it is certainly embarrassing to have our dirty linen laundered at European level, but we should be grateful that it is being laundered. However, it is the human side which concerns me more. I am troubled by a line in Mr. Darragh McCullough's report that "Mr. Mohan ... contends that he lost out on €25,000 per year because he did not participate in various VAT arrangements". The report goes on to state Mr. Mohan ceased trading with his processor late last year and has since failed to find a new purchaser for his birds. Ms Harkin describes Mr. Mohan as a "law abiding man, concerned only with doing the right thing," yet his family business of 60 years is no longer trading. It is actually worse than this. This farmer is no longer able to earn a livelihood from what was a very well kept and high quality farm.