Beef farmer support package
Deputy Michael Collins asks how the announced €100 million beef package will be distributed and warns against factory interests benefiting. Minister of State Andrew Doyle says it is a €50 million Commission measure plus €50 million Exchequer funding and that farming groups will be consulted once regulatory issues are addressed.
Prior to the local elections, €100 million was announced for beef farmers.
As the Taoiseach well knows, we have spoken often enough about this in the Dáil. Beef farmers have been on their knees in recent years. It is a very serious crisis. How will this funding be distributed and rolled out? Farmers do not want the factory hierarchies to get the funding when it becomes available to the farmers.
Comment on this
As the Deputy will be aware, the announcement was for €50 million from the Commissioner, with another €50 million to be secured from the Exchequer. The Deputy may also be aware that some of the farmer organisations have arranged their own consultation, but they will be consulted with in the near future, as soon as the regulation that has been forwarded down to the Commission has been addressed by the Department. The regulation includes some conditions which must be considered before any further steps are taken.