Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators for being kind enough. I acknowledge that we have the Roscommon branch of the Parkinson's Association of Ireland here today. So many of our families know what it is like to engage with the Parkinson's Association of Ireland and the supports it offers. I was very lucky during the year to attend an event with my family at Oran GAA Club in Oran, County Roscommon. They did a walk in Roscommon to promote, engage and fundraise for the Parkinson's Association of Ireland. I welcome the members who are here today to highlight it. I wish them a lovely day and hope they enjoy the experience of being here in Leinster House as part of our democracy and seeing democracy in action, which is absolutely crucial.

Separately, will the Leader arrange for the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, to come to the House to speak to us, please? We have had a disastrous announcement by the ICBF with regard to the star ratings of beef cattle. We are looking at Limousins and Charolais having their star rating wiped off the board last week. We need an explanation as to why this system has been brought in by the ICBF, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, in this way. We need to understand that this has a massive impact on farmers who have signed up to the SCEP scheme. In no shape or form are they able to manage this level of change that has been brought through without any transparency that is apparent to farmers on the ground. We need to see if we can get some forward action with the Minister and the Department of Agriculture working with the ICBF on how to support farmers, especially in the west.