Vol. 512 No. 5
27 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the way in which he will address the issues raised in the report of the sheepmeat forum; the plans, if any, he has in place to address the substantial difficulties facing sheep farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26449/99]
I set up the sheepmeat forum last year to evaluate the future of the sheepmeat sector and to assess how the industry can best address the constraints and future challenges facing it. The forum identified a wide range of issues across all areas of the sector and agreed a comprehensive series of recommendations which, if implemented, would enable the industry to prepare for the challenges ahead. I am anxious to ensure that these recommendations are implemented and, for that reason, I have decided to set up a monitoring committee under the chairmanship of Dr Frank Crosby, UCD, to progress implementations of those recommendations which are amenable to action at national level. These recommendations relate to improvements in efficiency and quality of production and in the promotion and marketing of lamb on the home and export market. The committee is representative of all interests in the industry and will work closely with my Department.
The other recommendations relate in the main to the deficiencies in the sheepmeat regime and, in particular, to the failure of the ewe premium system to properly compensate Irish producers for the low prices here. I raised the issues at the meeting of the Agriculture Council last month.
At that meeting, I outlined the serious income situation facing sheep producers at the present time and the failure of the ewe premium system to properly compensate Irish producers because of the lack of convergence of prices across the European Union. In particular, I asked for urgent action to address these issues, including by way of the temporary suspension of the stabiliser or through the payment of a supplementary premium in member states where prices are significantly below the EU average. Apart from the United Kingdom, I received no support from other member states. Commissioner Fischler has indicated that he intends to review the current regime next year. I intend to continue to press the Commission on these issues.
