I wish to move the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to discuss the collapse of beef and cattle prices at factories and marts both yesterday and today, to demand immediate action by the Minister for Agriculture and Food and the Government to negotiate a realistic beef intervention arrangement with the European Union to allow for the inclusion of O4 grade cattle and heavier carcase weights, and to demand an explanation from the Minister for Agriculture and Food as to why the Libyan live cattle trade did not open two weeks ago, as was promised.
Request to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
Having considered the matter fully I do not consider it to be contemplated by Standing Order 31. Therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motion.
This is the most important matter in rural Ireland.
I must ask the Deputy to resume his seat, while I call Deputy Noonan on Standing Order 31.
Is the Taoiseach happy with the situation?
The rules of the House are that once the Chair rules that is the end of the matter in the House.
This is certainly not the end of the matter.
If the Deputy has a problem he should call to the office of the Ceann Comhairle.
The 529 tonnes of intervention beef announced in Brussels is equivalent to 1,800 cattle. It is totally inadequate as we need to cover 40,000 cattle.
I am asking Deputy Connaughton to resume his seat. If he does not resume his seat I will ask him to leave the House. We must have order. There is a long-standing tradition that Standing Order 31 matters are dealt with in this manner.
Is the Taoiseach happy with the Minister for Agriculture and Food?
That is not in order. I ask Deputy Connaughton to leave the House.
There is a crisis in farming and the Minister is doing nothing about it.
I ask the Deputy to resume his seat or leave the House.
The Taoiseach should reply because this matter is important for every farmer.
I ask Deputy Connaughton to leave the House.
If I have to leave the House, it will be a shame on everyone in Government.
The Deputy is out of order.
The industry is going down the tubes.
I ask the Deputy to leave the House.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle must realise this is a serious problem.
This is the first time this has happened to every farmer in Ireland. It is a disgrace.
There is real poverty in rural Ireland and many families are starving, yet the Government is saying nothing. The Taoiseach should make a statement and offer some hope to the people who have no income and are ashamed of the situation in which they find themselves. It is not acceptable.
I ask Deputy Connaughton to leave the House. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle does not have the power to name the Deputy. Therefore, I will suspend the House for five minutes and ask the Ceann Comhairle to come in to name him.
Sitting suspended at 4.22 p.m. and resumed at 4.27 p.m.