Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue was questioned recently on whether financial aid had been considered for the organic-egg sector.

Sinn Féin's agriculture spokesperson, Matt Carthy, raised the issue in a parliamentary question last week.

Minister McConalogue responded by saying that his officials are "continuing to engage closely with the various industry sectors to monitor identified risks and work towards mitigation actions where possible and appropriate".

He said he has asked the National Fodder and Food Security Committee to prepare an industry response to the emerging crisis in feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.

"Furthermore, my department continues to engage at EU level to ensure a joined-up EU approach to the challenges, including through the European Food Security Crisis preparedness response Mechanism (EFSCM)."

Organic egg production - the numbers

The minister said that, as in other agri-food sectors, global trade conditions will be crucial in determining the outlook for the Irish poultry sector over the medium to longer term.

He said his department will continue to monitor the markets and any impacts on the agri-food sector.