Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator and I agree with him. In my opening remarks I made the point that it was important to realise that there is serious interdependency. The beef sector, processors and markets are all very fine but if one does not have a primary producing base whose members feel like they have a viable future, then the whole system will fall asunder.

In terms of all of the suggestions, we need to consider various systems, be they fixed price contracts or fixed agreement contracts with the processors for some or all of the producers in the establishment of producer organisations. In terms of opening the supply chain prices up to scrutiny and explaining why each player along the chain must have so much of a margin, transparency is very important. In other countries, transparency is beginning to be rolled out and have a positive effect.

I urge everyone to participate in the beef forum and round-table group because everything gets solved, if it is going to be solved, in discussion and agreement. I mean an agreement that is honoured and not reneged on, which is very important.