I remind the Deputy that the Government opposed the Mercosur trade deal, for very good reasons, which I have articulated. In line with our programme for Government commitment to work with like-minded countries that oppose the deal, I very much took a twin-track approach over the course of the last year. Every month that I attend the Agri-Fish Council in Brussels, trade is on the agenda. I have raised our concerns on the sensitivity of the impact of the Mercosur trade deal on our beef sector in particular. There is …

Irrespective of what way the Deputy tries to spin this, the record shows very clearly what way Ireland voted. If he talks to anybody in Europe who is in favour of the deal, they are very clear that the Irish Government opposed it. Irrespective of what he tries to tell people, the facts are the facts, and they are there. The Deputy can put down questions to the Minister for trade on all elements of trade deals. I do not have that competence but I have the role, as Minister for agriculture, to defend my sector and ta…

In 2019, the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment commissioned an independent economic and sustainability impact assessment, ESIA, which both my Department and Teagasc fed into. As part of the ESIA, and specifically on the macroeconomic impacts of the agreement for Ireland, it was noted that shifts in employment across sectors were forecast to be marginal and to mirror changes in production across sectors. Employment was found to generally increase in manufacturing and decrease slightly in the agrifo…

I have been very clear in my role since 23 January last year on every given occasion. Four days after I became the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I was in Brussels at my first Agri-Fish Council, and I put on the record my concerns and opposition to the Mercosur trade deal. I have worked very closely with individual like-minded countries to build a coalition and try to get a blocking minority. I have also worked to get the safeguards improved so that if the blocking minority failed, the safeguards wo…

I am sorry but I think the Deputy is mixing me up with the Minister for trade and that sector. The Deputy is welcome to put that question down. What I talk about is the role I have played. I have said very clearly on the record of the House, in response to the Deputy's first question, exactly what I have done over the last year and what I continue to do to advocate for our sector. I would pull the Deputy up on the fact that he is catastrophising here. We face loads of challenges and I will always defend the agricul…

We voted against it.

I thank Deputy Ward for raising what is a very important issue. It is fair to say that sometimes we sit in here for oral questions on agriculture, food and the marine, and predominantly the questions are raised by rural-based Deputies but animal welfare is in everyone's interest. I have no doubt that Deputy Ward's constituents in Dublin and Dún Laoghaire are passionate about animal welfare. I am determined to continue the improvement we have made in these spaces. Society as a whole is changing and our standards and…

The Deputy will be aware that I have just concluded a public consultation on my new animal welfare strategy for 2026 to 2030, which I will introduce this year. I thank everybody who made contributions on that. Animal welfare crosses so many different areas. The control of dogs legislation came back in under my Department since last summer with some significant work. I am really happy about that. As part of the negotiating team on the programme for Government I was very keen on this. There had been a fragmented natu…

We are very much at one on this. This is something I want to work on with colleagues. This is something we discussed in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. It will also be debated and discussed at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food, and beyond the House, working with my colleagues at the Department of agriculture, the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley, Grealish and Healy-Rae. It transcends and covers all parts of society. I genuinely believe, as somebody who grew up on a farm with animals, that…

Soundbites.

I do not appreciate being misrepresented. During questions on agriculture earlier, a debate about farmers and agriculture went into the area of a trade deal and what trade policy was, and I highlighted that it was not my direct role.

I fought my sector's corner on the Mercosur trade deal. The Deputy knows what way the Government voted. I made that very clear. With regard to the point the Deputy raised around Bord Bia, what I implore everyone-----

I want to answer on the substantive point the Deputy raised.

Deputy Tóibín made a political charge.

I want to answer the substantive point he raised, if he lets me.

Either the Deputy wants me to respond to his question or he does not. On the point about Bord Bia, there is nuance and detail involved. A calm space is needed for this to be explained. We have dealt with soundbites, attacks and rash actions and comments by some people in this House that do farmers a disservice. Farmers benefit greatly from the integrated nature of international trade deals. We export 90% of our food and drink produce. With regard to the specific business case of the chairman of Bord Bia, it is abso…

Of course they are angry. They are angry because they are being fed soundbites from this Chamber.

Let us have a proper, meaningful debate on the importance of integrated global supply chains that benefit our farmers.

I thank Members for facilitating this debate on the nitrates derogation and its importance not just to our farmers, but to our rural economy and our overall efforts towards sustainability in all its forms. We recognise that to deliver environmental sustainability and improve our water quality, our farmers need to be economically sustainable. That goes to the heart of what the nitrates derogation does. It facilitates farmers to be profitable and to be able to invest in their farms and in measures to improve water qu…

I thank all the Senators for their very valuable input, their talking points and their thanks and recognition. This was very much a team effort. I recognise the collaboration that has taken place. Senator Paul Daly talked about the role of farmers and also the role of industry. There has been a very collaborative approach here. Farmers have worked hand in glove with my Department and our officials, and the industry has stepped up to the plate and played its part. I will touch on how it is doing that on an ongoing b…