Beef sector aid and Brexit
Deputy Murphy pressed for a clear Government response to Brexit-related pressure on farmers and welcomed EU support for beef producers. The Taoiseach said the €50 million aid was welcome, but the scheme could not proceed until the Commission's terms were received.
I will read the Taoiseach a short quotation from the 2016 programme for Government. It states: "Many farmers are experiencing challenges arising out of volatility in the market and this is in some cases further impacted by difficult farming conditions". Since then Brexit has very much come onto the agenda and is of concern to the farming community. In that regard, I welcome the announcement by Commissioner Phil Hogan of support for the beef sector in particular. As we all know, many thousands of jobs are linked to the agriculture industry. Can we have a clear statement that the Government will give €50 million to support the €50 million from the EU? How quickly will we see this particular project put in place? As the Taoiseach probably knows, many in the farming industry are at a very difficult juncture.
Comment on this
The Government joins the Deputy in welcoming the announcement from the Commission that €50 million in exceptional aid is to be provided to beef farmers who very much need it given the collapse in beef prices in recent months. We still have not received the terms and conditions from the Commission and the exact detail of how that scheme will work. We will have to provide matching funding. We do not yet have the terms and conditions from the Commission but as soon as we get them, we will be able to develop a scheme and ensure that farmers get the money they need as soon as possible.