Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Browne and Conway-Walsh.

While these statements are welcome, they would have been more timely a number of weeks ago, when the issue was very much at the fore. Perhaps together we could have looked at measures that were needed, in consultation with farmers, the farming organisations and the Opposition, given the difficult and challenging weeks and months farmers have had. It has been a really difficult time for them and, as has been said, the issues vary. I know that in my case at home, while our cattle are still inside, we have been very lucky and have had silage remaining and we have not been stuck for fodder. Farmers in other parts of the country, however, throughout the west and in every other part of our State, have been under pressure and have been running out of fodder. I have met farmers who, in some cases, sold livestock a couple of months ago because they did not have the fodder and they were really concerned about the cost of it, never mind getting it transported to them in the first instance.

It has been said many times, and it is true, that it has been raining more or less since last July. It has been an especially awful time for those in the tillage sector. They were under severe pressure from bad weather last year, particularly last autumn and winter, and they had very much hoped for better weather this year but, obviously, that has not been the case so far. In January, following Agriland's snap national survey showing that 34% of farmers were running short of fodder and that 33% would have to purchase more fodder, I asked the Minister to outline a plan to support farmers at that point. Instead, he and the Department waited until April to announce a suspension of some inspections, and after that, the fodder transport support measure, all of which I welcomed but they did come after a long period. I know from speaking to farmers that many of them felt very much on their own as the rain continued to fall and as they kept being told the Department was monitoring the situation. A great deal of time was wasted and farmers were left feeling on their own in many cases. Delays to farm payments - in fact, delays to probably every farm payment both last year and this year - made a bad situation worse in that input costs are still really high and some farmers did not have the money to buy fodder when it might have been slightly cheaper a number of months ago.

In respect of that transport support measure, how much money has been set aside for that and how much has been spent to date? Was consideration at any point given to looking at the fodder support scheme that was in place previously? While the Minister cited the fact that the national committee had concluded that there were sufficient stocks in the country, will he indicate of it also looked at the cost of what was available in the country? While farmers may be able to access it and the help with the transport is good, which I welcomed, the cost of it in the first instance has been an issue and has remained high for a lot of farmers. Like the Minister, I acknowledge the role of Teagasc, which has co-ordinated support for farmers and provided advice at every step, which is very helpful.

We are being told, however, that this weather may become more frequent - it more than likely will - so I urge the Department to have a plan with measures on standby, ready to kick in if they are needed, and perhaps that national committee on fodder and food security should be tasked with putting together a plan in order that we will be proactive should there be similar weather again, whether this year, into the winter or in a similar spring next year. Rather than take a wait-and-see approach, we should have an action plan ready to go and we should be proactive, not least given what we have seen and learned from this spring so far.

Turning to the tillage sector and the €100 per hectare payment that has been announced, many are waiting for the detail in respect of that support measure and what it will look like. Given the response from grain growers and the IFA, which has said it is not enough, how were the sum and the payment decided on? Obviously, more information is needed, such as regarding who it will be for, when it will be paid and who will qualify for it. Those details are needed as quickly as possible because that sector has been under great pressure, and given we want to grow our tillage sector and have committed to doing so, we need to make sure that when things go wrong, those in the sector feel supported and listened to. That is very important in the context of any supports that are announced.

The tillage vision stakeholder group's report is available and we really need to see what immediate action the Minister will take in that regard. It is an area we want to grow but people in the tillage sector have been under huge pressure, both last year and this year, and we know they will be under pressure to get seeds in the ground even now with the payment that has been announced. I welcome the fact that payment has been extended to the horticultural sector, another sector that I believe has major potential. Weather is obviously a major challenge, but I welcome the inclusion of the payment for that sector because sometimes the people in that sector feel left out.

On the Shannon Callows flood scheme, while rain has made the job of farmers very difficult, it has been a lot more difficult in areas where flooding is already in place, such as along the Shannon Callows. There have been issues with that flood scheme and a number of farmers have sought reviews and appeals.

I ask that the Minister provide support in those outstanding cases where people are looking for help with fodder.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland has sought for the increase in the carbon tax to be stalled. I ask that the Minister consider this request. The increase would be another bill for farmers, increasing their costs beyond what they already are.

Our family farmers feel they are in an uncertain situation. I point the Minister to the legislation that Deputy Carthy and I introduced last week on establishing a commission on the future of the family farm. I have been taken aback since assuming this role in the past year. If one meets farmers, one might think the issues they raise have to do with income or payments. Instead, the issues they raise are very much about their sons and daughters having emigrated, their children not being keen about taking on the farms and the farmers themselves not being sure whether they should encourage their children to take on their farms, given that the farms are not viable. I have never seen so much uncertainty around the future of our family farms. Many of them feel under threat, so we need to be proactive and plan. We need to examine the challenges and tackle them head-on if we are to protect and sustain our family farms. There is a great deal of uncertainty. If we are serious about valuing the family farm, we should set up the commission, get everyone around the table, listen to the farmers and farm organisations, examine the key challenges, including climate action, generational renewal and succession, and consider how to support our family farms in facing these challenges. This would send a signal to farmers that we will support them and, where there are challenges, we will meet those head on. I ask the Minister to consider this legislation.

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