For eight weeks during the summer, the Independent Farmers of Ireland, their wives and families protested outside the gates of meat plants because they were devastated by the price they were continually getting. It is not business as usual with the Government and the so-called task force because, first, the Taoiseach appointed the former Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who I believe is not independent, as head of it. Second, the Minister refused to meet Independent Farmers of Ireland, 600 of whom met in Athlone this night last week, and sent three representatives. Even worse, I asked the Taoiseach here last week about the injunctions against a Fine Gael councillor and two others in Longford, which have not been lifted. They were told the night of the agreement they all signed up to that all threats of court action would be lifted immediately. Are the beef barons going to dictate, day and night, and ignore what was agreed in Kildare, overseen by the Minister? They have had their way for 40 years. Time has changed. They have been found out in the practices they are undertaking. We discussed a motion on the living wage in the House last night for two hours. Give the beef farmers a living wage so that they and the industry can survive and cut out this codology and this cartel.

I too call for the lifting of the injunctions on these farmers in the spirit of the deal that was agreed. It is a shame that these people are still being threatened with an injunction. I point out that the price of beef has actually fallen in the past few weeks to €3.30 and €3.20 per kilogram. Farmers cannot survive on that. The quicker the Minister realises that, the better. It seems that everything he is doing relates to Dublin; he is Dublin orientated. He is forgetting about rural Ireland but he will have to stand up and do something for these farmers because this issue has gone on long enough. That farmers are now being offered €3.20 and €3.30 per kilogram is ridiculous. The Minister is the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Will he, please, do something about that?

I am the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. If the Deputy, or Deputy Mattie McGrath, had an interest in these matters he might have turned up for agriculture questions in the House yesterday where I dealt with these matters at some length.

We have a rota system for questions. That is outrageous.

We could not get in.

Please, Deputies.

Many Members raised these issues here yesterday and we had a comprehensive discussion on them.

We are entitled to raise them here. It is hard enough to get the Minister here.

I dealt with the issue comprehensively yesterday. I also wish that all injunctions would be lifted. I felt the beef task force would have been the place where outstanding issues could have been raised. I am sure both Deputies will agree with me that the intimidatory tactics employed by people outside the Department offices on Monday, when we attempted to get that task force up and running, were disgraceful.

It is not an independent task force.

With regard to Deputy McGrath's contention that the chairperson is not independent-----

He is an insider.

-----he referenced that he was part of the negotiations for the programme for Government. Is that correct?

What?

Deputy McGrath inferenced in public comment here that the chairperson was part of the negotiations for the programme for Government.

I did no such thing.

He did; I checked the record.

The Minister is trying to conflate the issue.

I am not conflating the issue.

The Minister's time is up anyway.

The Deputy made allegations against the independent chairperson, which are disgraceful.

Look after the farmers.

His appointment has been welcomed by the parties as an independent, capable and impartial-----

Your time is up, Minister, please.

He had long retired before the programme for Government was negotiated.