There have been protests outside our beef factories for as long as a month now. Men and women, the farmers of this country, have spent 24 hours of every day trying to get a simple message across, which is that they are working at a major loss which they cannot sustain. These people, whom I meet and speak to daily, are mystified as to why the Taoiseach and the leader of the main Opposition party have been silent throughout these protests. I ask the Taoiseach to personally intervene in this crisis and to fight for a proper base price for these farmers' cattle. The protection of the factory owners and large retailers in this country must end. This can be done if the Taoiseach comes out and supports these struggling farmers today.

This issue was debated at length last night. There have been two rounds of negotiated talks and last weekend an agreement was reached between seven organisations and the meat industry. It needs to be allowed a chance to work. As I said here last night, we need everybody to take a step back from the brink, to take a leap of faith, and to try to develop a level of trust that would allow the mechanisms and component parts of this agreement to work. As the Deputy knows, it is not legally possible for the Taoiseach, the Minister, or anyone else here to discuss price, but we have approved the first producer organisation, and we hope to approve many more. These can discuss pricing in a calm environment. If farmers get together they will be in a position of strength to influence the direction of this industry. I ask everybody to accept what was decided and agreed over the weekend and to give it a chance to work. It is the best chance we have for the future of this industry.

Six Deputies were not reached, beginning with Deputy Aylward. Those Deputies will be given priority tomorrow.