As Deputy Michael Healy-Rae declared an interest, I will declare that I am his brother but I will tell the House honestly and truly that I will not benefit in any way from his interest. I am glad to raise a few matters with the Minister of State. While Deputy Michael Healy-Rae gave an example of a rent of €1,000 - it can be more than that at times in Killarney - in many parts of Kerry, a property will not get more than €600 per month in rent. When that is sized up for people who own one or two houses, when they pay…

Food security is paramount to everyone, not alone the farmers but also the consumers. We all see what happened with the fertiliser. It is my belief that the cartel operated by the larger co-ops in this country have ensured that the cost of fertiliser went to the highest that it could. This year, even with the price of gas coming down, we see they are still trying to make the argument that because they bought the fertiliser at the back end of last year, 2022, that they are entitled to charge as much as they can get …

I want to ask the Minister a direct question. Will he instigate an investigation into what has happened with fertiliser and the exorbitant cost of it? A cartel is operating. We have even been told the larger co-operatives have asked the suppliers that import fertiliser not to supply it or to hold up the supply to the smaller merchants, and that is very serious. It looks to everyone out there, down our neck of the woods anyway, as though the co-operatives are doing everything possible to keep the price of fertiliser…

It was about unfair trading.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, may I make a clarification?

I cannot understand how the Minister could say that-----

What has happened with the fertiliser is not unfair trading and it is not related to the Bill we are discussing.

It is simply CPO in disguise.

They want to tax the people out of their homes-----

It is a land grab under-----

"The rent and taxes were too high, and them I could not redeem-----

"-----and that's the cruel reason why I left old Skibbereen". That is what these people want to do. Tax them out of their homes and tax them out of their farms.

It is wrong.

No word about Kerry.

The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, which the Government unwisely set, up is aggravating and tormenting farmers with suggestions that exports should be taxed further and that farm payments, which are subsidies, should be brought to a halt. I have to remind these people that farm payments are compensation to farmers who are not properly paid for their produce and who, by giving cheaper food, are helping the consumers of Ireland and Europe. This is very unfair. These people were not elected by anybody. The f…

They are elected by the people and are responsible. I ask the Taoiseach to disband the citizens' assembly because it is aggravating and tormenting farmers with unfair proposals.

Disband the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss.

Disband the assembly because it is not being fair.

The assembly is tormenting and aggravating farmers who are working hard.

Are we also taking amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 4?