Central Bank Bill and farm prices
Mattie McGrath asks about the Central Bank consolidation Bill and raises farmers’ complaints about bank lending and meat-factory prices. The Ceann Comhairle redirects the agricultural issue, while the Taoiseach says the Bill is due next year.
What is the position of the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill? Banks are not lending to farmers or anybody else. They are not treating people fairly. We need that Bill to be introduced.
Farmers had to come to Dublin on a fine day for working to protest outside Agriculture House at the lack of engagement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, over the blackguarding they are getting from the meat factories. I raise this under the Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill 2014. If the farmers cannot farm they will have to go into amenities and environmental programmes.
Comment on this
The Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill 2014 went through the Oireachtas last week.
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Good. Hopefully the President will sign it.
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I said the farmers will be forced to go into-----
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They cannot get a decent price for their products.
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The Deputy will have to deal with that as a question to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.