Mattie McGrath Demands Apology Over Alleged Slur on Farmers

I'm shocked that your senior minister is not here. He made accusations here in the Dáil yesterday about the farmers, the good people, young men and women and families that were out there. Decent people. And he alleged that they were involved in threats to businesses. Of course he did. And he further alleged that it was like what happened in Cavern. I want him to apologise to this house for the wrong that he committed, perpetrated on those decent people yesterday. I salute the farmers in the protests. They're on their knees and you've abandoned them, ignored them. Because you're in bed with Larry Goodman and the big beat bands and he won't touch them. And the fact, it's a scandal that the talks can't come in. First of all, you have a chairman, a former Secretary General, a chairperson. So the whole thing is a charade. But the game is up, Minister. It can't be business as usual. Those 500 people yesterday were not members of any organisation or any political party. They're farmers that are fed up with what's going on and they want answers. But they wanted a apology from Minister Creed for accusing them of being involved in threatening. There's not even a guard or complaint file in in that area. So he's mislaid the doll. He lied to the doll. And he made a slur on the reputation of those good people. And I want him to apologise in this house. Thanks, Ken Corley. As somebody who is actually, unlike most people that are doing a lot of talking about it, an active beef farmer, I should say I have as good an understanding of this whole sector as anybody in this chamber. First of all, Minister Creed actually met this morning at half past seven. He answered some of the questions and clarified the issue with regard to the threats. Never inferred that anyone involved in the injunctions or any farmer was responsible for them. If you were here at question time, sorry, you asked, if you were here at question time this morning, you would have heard that answer. Okay. So, no, no, seeing as how, seeing, seeing as how. The issue was two topical issues. One was the need for the government to directly intervene and unlock the current impasse. And the second was in the beef task force. And the second was to provide an update on the beef task force. And I just wanted to clarify, set the scene here before I answer directly the topical issues, which are actually on the order paper here today. So, as you are aware, the inaugural beef task force meeting scheduled for 14th of October was prevented from proceeding. However, since then, the independent chair and the department continue to engage proactively with task force members with a view to progressing the implementation of the provisions of the agreement. My department and its agencies continue to progress to commitments, which they signed up to under the agreement. The full text of the agreement between the beef sector stakeholders, along with an update on the progress made on the actions to date, is available on the department's website. An immediate increase in a range of bonuses was announced as part of the 15th of September agreement, and it has been confirmed that this bonus system is now in place. Initiatives in the agreement aimed at improving information along the supply chain included commissioning of the following reports, an independent review of market and customer requirements, an independent examination of the price composition of the total value of the animal along the supply chain, and the summary of competition law issues relevant to the beef sector. My department has issued a request for tenders for this report, with a deadline for receipt of the tender responses by 12 noon of next Thursday 5 December. This will enable the award of the tender before the end of the year. In relation to transparency issues, the department has published an expert report on mechanical carcass classification review, has introduced an appeal system for manual grading, and has initiated a consultation process on the transposition of unfair trading practices directives, with a deadline for submission of 13 December. Board BIA has developed a model based on the board. Board BIA has developed a beef market index model based on three components, cattle price index, beef market price index, retail and wholesale, and an offer price indicator. This is now available on the Board BIA website. Chagas is significantly advanced in the first stage of scientific review of the quality payment grid, or the QPS. The department is also proactively engaging with several potential beef producer organisations, which have the potential to strengthen the bargaining power of beef farmers in the supply chain. Two beef producer organisations have been formally recognised by the department in recent months. You have all seen the impact of the traffic disruption in Dublin City today, which has had an impact on ordinary people as well as they go to their daily work. There are well-established channels of communications with farming organisations to resolve these issues of concern to farmers through constructive dialogue. I hope that the sector will be able to come together, as it always has, to face these challenges and work towards a more sustainable future for all stages of the food chain. Minister Creed established the Beef Market Taskforce to provide the leadership to develop a sustainable pathway for the future of the beef sector in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. As the minister has previously stated, it is in the interest of everybody and everyone involved in the beef sector that this task force gets to work as soon as possible. I hope all parties will agree that they will come together around the table. I would appeal, certainly, to those who have the injunctions in place to consider, as a gesture of goodwill, the lifting of them. But we are, and I am, and the minister is, limited in the extent in which we can make that happen. Thank you. Deputy Secretary Sor