Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like many other Members, I refer to the protests that are taking place outside. There is a housing protest and a protest from the agricultural community regarding beef prices. The beef forum met today at 10.30 a.m. It is important that the House acknowledge there is a significant issue with the beef industry. The meeting of the beef forum today is an important one that will be attended by the processors, some farming organisations and the Department to work out what is happening in the beef industry. I attended a meeting in Skibbereen last Monday week that was attended by approximately 400 beef farmers. One could feel the disquiet, to say the least, among the community about where the beef industry, particularly the suckler industry, is going. This morning's meeting is very important. I realise that there is pressure on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department to try to ensure that appropriate prices are paid at the factory gate for the beef product. This will be the significant challenge. The beef processors' control over the industry is the biggest issue. How we formulate a plan to ensure that the farmers get an appropriate price for their product when they go to slaughter is very significant. The Minister needs to engage with the processors to ensure this happens.

I am sure this will be a winter of discontent in the beef industry. From talking to the farmers, I understand that the prices at marts and in the factories have collapsed even though prices in the UK have gone up. I can tell the House the actual price it costs to take an animal all the way to the factory but after that it goes into a black hole and we do not know where the costings go until the product actually ends up in retailers' fridges. These are important issues. I propose that we schedule time for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come to the House to discuss the beef industry. Time needs to be allotted to the beef industry. We need a real debate on it and to identify solutions. More important we need to see what legislation needs to be changed to ensure farmers get what is appropriate at the farm gate. What we really need is a labelling system. We need to ensure that everyone knows exactly how much the farmer gets paid on the label. The knock-on effect will be that we find out the margins the retailers and factories get so we know who is getting what out of every side of beef.