Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I, too, wish to refer to the imminent fodder crisis. I welcomed the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine's formation of a fodder crisis action group. I recall the statement made at the time of its formation that it would intervene if it felt there was a need to do so. It has met. As quoted here previously and as a result of that meeting with Teagasc, farmers were surveyed. Some 85% of the farmers surveyed had less than half the amount of fodder they required. However, there is a problem because the bureaucrats will take it that if farmers have 50% of the fodder they require, the crisis will not kick in until the second half of the feeding season. As we know, some of the farmers surveyed may be at a figure of 100%, while others may be well below 50%. Unfortunately, the crisis is hitting the country, which brings the old adage of live horse and get grass to a new level. Cattle are hungry and the inclement weather over the weekend did not help in some cases. Ironically, there is fodder available in the southern half of the country. However, there may not be enough available by the end of the feeding season because we never know when it will ends, as it depends on weather conditions in the spring and early summer. Action must be taken immediately. There have been meetings and meetings about meetings on the crisis. Pushing the inevitable down the line has caused farmers untold grief and mental anguish and many animals face starvation, especially in the west and the north west. There is a need for a subsidy to transport fodder from the south to where it is needed. There is also a need to provide meal vouchers in certain instances. Will the Leader immediately invite the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come to the House to debate the matter? The debate will probably take place in the new year, but if that happens, it will only push the problem further down the line. We need the Minister in the House now and he needs to address the problem immediately. Waiting for the second half of the feeding season to arrive is not good enough for the many farmers who are in crisis.