Beef task force meeting
Deputy Stanley welcomed developments on injunctions involving beef farmers and urged the beef task force to meet urgently in plenary. The Tánaiste said the Agriculture Minister was committed to getting the task force operating and reforming the sector.
I raise the issue of the beef task force. In the past few minutes, there has been welcome news that the injunctions against Pauric Brady and Colm Leonard have been lifted. I sought that action yesterday and asked the Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine about it on Question Time. It is good news.
Many issues must be addressed and it is important that the task force meets in plenary session. There was to be a meeting on 14 October but, unfortunately, that did not happen. I wish to impress on the Tánaiste the importance of getting people around the table as quickly as possible to deal with the outstanding issues in the beef sector and to make progress. I also urge him to impress on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the importance of ensuring that representatives of the retailers will attend.
Comment on this
I assure the Deputy that nobody would like the beef task force to get up and running more than the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. He is committed to it and to reform in the sector in a way that can protect farmers and their families.
The last time there was an attempt to get this process started, the Deputy knows what happened. We have to make sure there is no repeat of that.