THE Fianna Fail spokesman on agriculture, Mr Brian Cowen, said if beef prices were to be permanently depressed, farmers would have to be compensated.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, had assured farmers that nothing decided by the EU would hurt them. "Yet in the same breath, he wants farmers to take a beef price of 82p per lb. If that is to be the price of beef, then there must be full compensation," Mr Cowen said.

He was introducing his party's motion in private members' time deploring the failure of the Government to clarify Ireland's position on the EU Commission's proposals to reorganise the beef regime. He called on the Minister to protect the interests of the Irish beef sector.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said farmers were facing serious losses because of the beef crisis and some might be pushed over the edge. While some limited measures had been taken to alleviate the worst effects, the crisis persisted. Prices had fallen by at least 16 per cent across the EU. As a country which exported 80 per cent of its beef, Ireland was one of the most vulnerable and worst affected.

The response at national and European level was inadequate.

"I am not surprised at the anger of Irish farmers yesterday. Farmers still face the same situation as some months ago and are closer to the point where many of them will have to sell their autumn stock at a serious loss in most cases. Very little has been decided and the decisions that were taken on the British beef cull have unravelled."

Some Irish Ministers appeared to be treating the EU presidency primarily as "a tourism promotion or a constituency benefit". Business should come first and meetings should not be just an excuse for "a lavish junket".

The EU agriculture ministers did little more than rearrange the deck chairs at their meeting in Killarney this week, Mr Ahern continued. They made no serious financial commitment to tide farmers over their difficulties.

The BSE crisis was a real test for the Irish Minister. Could Mr Yates stop the British reneging on the Florence agreement, he asked, and could he take measures to restore confidence in Ireland and Europe?

Mr Yates said the Government was acutely aware of problems of the beef sector. Since the BSE crisis occurred, it was dealing with it. The full services of the Department, the diplomatic services, Bord Bia and all other Government Departments had combined to protect "our most important industry".

He outlined the measures already taken and others put in train and he rejected suggestions that Ireland had been badly treated by the EU. Out of the EU package of £700 million agreed, Irish farmers would receive £70 million or 10 per cent despite having only 7 per cent of the total EU production.

It had been suggested that imports from third countries should be stopped, but almost all live cattle and beef imported into the EU were brought in under GATT and other agreements. These agreements could not be easily renegotiated as they were part of a more comprehensive agreement with the countries concerned.

The Commission's proposals for reform of the beef regime had 10 be seen in the context of the need for urgent action to restore balance to the beef market.

It was never easy to accept a reduction in beef production. In the absence of the measures proposed - or of alternative measures with the equivalent effect The serious imbalance in the market would remain and intervention stocks would build up until storage space was exhausted and even more radical measures would then be required.

Mr Cowen said that since the start of the BSE crisis, scientific evidence had been thrown around "like snuff at a wake". There was a need to collate the available scientific evidence in one authoritative forum. If a credible forum were in session, the Oxford study quoted by Britain could not be used as a spanner in the works.

Ireland should be exploiting the advantages of a grass-based industry producing a quality product in an environmentally friendly way. The Government had failed to exploit Ireland's advantage on the quality-environmental issue.

Mr Cowen said that in Killarney, Mr Yates had accused Irish farmers of "biting the hand that feeds them". As half of them got less than £3,000 each in aid, the Minister could hardly speak of largesse. His pique was "a small thing compared to the hardship of farm families". There was no bottom line in sight for beef prices and no realistic proposals for compensation.

"Political handling of the crisis by the Minister has been a cynical damage limitation exercise that has sacrificed farmers' expectations to his personal political agenda."

Debate continues today.

DAIL REPORT

IDA accused of taking a `soft' line on Semperit

THE IDA was accused of taking a "softly, softly" line with the management of the Semperit plant in Ballyfermot, Dublin, which is due to close.

The charge was made by the Fianna Fail spokeswoman on enterprise and employment, Ms Mary O'Rourke, who added that it appeared to be "almost kowtowing" to the company.

was extremely alarmed when the IDA more or less accepted, without public complaint, Semperit's decision not to leave the equipment and technology at the Ballyfermot plant," she added.

Speaking on the adjournment, Ms O'Rourke said that Semperit had a responsibility to Ireland Inc. "It has received millions in grants over the years, has had a loyal workforce and has made millions in profits here. It needs to be sharply reminded of this."

The Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, was currently in the United States and scheduled to meet a prospective purchaser later this week.

"My view is that the option which we are pursuing of trying to find a suitable buyer for the plant is the best option available," he said.

"I would ask for the co-operation of all concerned to facilitate our efforts to secure jobs in Ballyfermot and surrounding areas which are not without difficulty."

Undoubtedly, there would be difficulties in any negotiations about the price of the factory and other issues such as proprietary equipment and technology.

However, given a willing purchaser those could be overcome through discussion and negotiation and the company had made it clear that it was not vetoing any prospective buyer. he added.