Ray Butler (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to send my condolences to the people of the tower block in London, and also to the Portuguese people as a result of the forest fires which have claimed the lives of up to 70 people. There are going to be three days of national mourning in Portugal.

I was delighted, along with everyone else, to hear about the deal done to get Irish beef back into the US market. I have to say, however, that I am not very happy to see that the cartel, the beef factories, are slashing beef prices by up to €50 per head this week. The move comes despite a reported shortage of manufacturing beef across Europe. There is a shortage of beef and so prices should be going up. The cartel, however, is taking them down. This is an attempt to panic farmers at a time when good grazing conditions and farmers busy at silage and hay are making cattle scarce. The cartel, which has been allowed in this country, is putting the gun to farmer's head again, as it were, and cutting prices to get them to run into the factories.

I read in the newspaper that good weather all across Europe is positive for farmers as the barbecue season looks like it will drive beef demand upwards. It is not going up but coming down in this country. It is a disgrace. I would like to have the Minister into the House in order that we can see what he is going to do to ensure fair play for farmers. This is not good enough.