Apologies have been received from Deputies McEllistrim, Scanlon and Sherlock and Senators Bradford and McCarthy. Is it agreed that the committee should go into private session briefly to discuss some private business? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session at 12.05 p.m. and resumed in public session at 12.20 p.m.
At my suggestion and that of Deputy Edward O'Keeffe at last week's meeting, the committee wrote to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to seek a meeting with him to discuss two critical issues — the plight of the dairy industry, to which Deputy O'Keeffe had specifically alluded, and the REPS, the issue I had raised. I understand from the Chairman that the Minister has indicated that he cannot meet the committee at this stage to discuss the matters raised. I find this unacceptable in the extreme. There is a great deal of uncertainty about the REPS. The plight of the dairy sector is an issue we have discussed on a number of occasions. In fact, we are seeking to travel to discuss these issues in the European Union. I understand the Minister will meet his Fianna Fail Oireachtas colleagues today — I am glad to see such a turnout of rural representatives present — to discuss them. However, he cannot come before an Oireachtas committee to discuss them. That is an insult to the committee.
I will clarify the position.
The Minister said he could not come before this committee before the end of the month, but he can meet his Fianna Fáil Oireachtas colleagues today. That is a disgrace.
He will meet his Oireachtas colleagues at 7 p.m., not during the day as he is attending an all-day Cabinet meeting. I want to make that clear.
We indicated we would facilitate the Minister by meeting him at a reasonable time before the end of the month.
There is an all-day Cabinet meeting today.
These are unprecedented difficult financial times, the detail of which I will not go into, but we wish to play our part in finding a way out of our difficulties. There must be openness and a willingness to discuss, debate and negotiate the issues on the table. The Minister is hiding behind the McCarthy report and running for cover at a time when farmers' incomes are plummeting. This is not acceptable. It is a poor start by him at this difficult time. It is an insult to the committee.
Any time the Minister was requested to come before the committee he was always most helpful and often attended at short notice. As was pointed out, we will be meeting him in private at 7.30 p.m. I understand there is a full day Cabinet meeting to discuss the McCarthy — an bord snip nua — report. That is an important discussion. All the Minister said was that he could not meet us before the end of the month and there is only one week remaining. That is understandable, given his busy schedule. He did not say he would not meet us. There is no point in trying to play politics. It is only a matter of going back to the——
The Deputy and his colleagues are meeting him to discuss the same issues.
We are meeting him at 7.30 p.m.
If these issues generate momentum, it will be impossible to reverse them.
With respect, it is only a matter of giving the Minister a chance to meet us. I am sure he will come before the committee when he has time in his schedule to do so.
The Minister, Deputy Smith, is well able to speak for himself. He has never refused to meet the committee and he will not do so on this occasion.
In regard to the decisions that must be taken — I am not talking about agriculture specifically — there is an all-day Cabinet meeting today. Deputy Creed has referred to the tough decisions that must be taken. I am sure the Minister will be willing to meet us after 1 September. The Chairman mentioned a meeting on 2 September and I am sure the Minister will do his utmost to make himself available to allow us discuss these important and serious issues.
Nobody will be affected until the New Year; therefore, we have time to work on these issues with a view to determining if they can be reversed. It is hoped changes can be made in that respect.
I support Deputy Creed's suggestion. The Minister must be deaf to the concerns being expressed. As the elected representatives from rural constituencies, most of us have an obligation to question the Minister about what is happening. If it is not possible to do that today, he should come before the committee next week.
I, too, support Deputy Creed because we should arrange a meeting with the Minister as quickly as possible. In our constituency of Cork South West he nearly came a cropper last weekend.
I do not think that is the issue.
I am getting dog's abuse from constituents that we are not airing the situation with the Minister.
We are all getting abuse.
Please, members. It is an unfair comment to make at this committee. We all heard it on the radio and we all know about it.
The behaviour of people should not be discussed in here. We should not condone anything like that.
Why did they not behave like the Cavan people? There were 7,000 in Cavan.
Please, members. We saw those tactics on the Border years ago in the troubled times and we do not want to see them again.
We should not be tolerating that or condoning it in any way.
We do not want to see those type of tactics used again. It is sad that those type of tactics are being used by anybody. I am suggesting that the clerk of the committee will write to the Minister. The secretary of our group, Senator Carty, will ask the Minister to attend the committee as soon as possible. If the Minister is available in the middle of August, I will convene a meeting.
If the Minister is available morning, noon or night between now and the end of July, we will accommodate him. We are as flexible as the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
That is agreed. We will move on to the next issue.
I find it hard to believe that the Minister would not find an hour to meet with us. It is an insult to this committee.
He will meet one party, but he will not meet other parties.
That is more of it. He is partisan.
