In the light of the statement made by the European Commissioner for Agriculture and the possibility that legislative changes will be introduced to implement reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, 20,000 farmers took to the streets today. It was expected that the Minister would meet them, but he did not do so.

I thought the Deputy may have been in order for once, but he has disappointed me.

This is a very important issue.

To what legislation is the Deputy referring?

I am referring to changes to European legislation.

This is Dáil Éireann, not the European Parliament.

I accept that. The Minister has stated changes will be made at European level. Will amending legislation be introduced in the House? Will we fight to save the Common Agricultural Policy?

Has legislation been promised?

The Minister has never been afraid to meet farmers.

Where was he today?

He did not walk over them on the footpath, as happened in previous years.

He did not go near the footpath.

I ask the Deputy to behave himself.

The Minister has arranged, at his request, four public meetings with farmers, one in each province in the next ten days, to discuss CAP reform, the protection of the budget and single farm payment scheme and other matters.

He could have met them today.

The Minister of State, Deputy Shane McEntee, met representatives of the farming organisations today. The Deputy should not engage in this kind of palaver.

It is not palaver. The Minister was expected outside.

The farmers themselves were very happy to hear of the Kerry Group's announcement today of a €100 million investment in the added value for food production.

There was a good bit for Mayo as well. We all welcome this announcement.

Deputy Mattie McGrath is just talking palaver.

A bit like Deputy Keaveney's e-mails then.

Deputy Mattie McGrath will not be charging €5 this time around for attending these meetings. These are free meetings.

Deputy Kehoe should go back to being a big spender on the shop floor.

Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy Bannon.

Deputy Kehoe should go back to the shop floor. He might want another house.

Further to what the Taoiseach has announced, one of the meetings in question will take place in my constituency and the Minister will be present.

Stroke politics is alive and well.