Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA. I commend Mr. Francie Gorman, the IFA president, on the good body of work that is his manifesto, which has been published, for the European and local elections. It is a substantial body of work. I thank and commend the IFA and Mr. Gorman, as president, on the manifesto, his leadership and guidance and the succinct and clear asks set out in the manifesto.

I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I was elected to the agricultural panel of Seanad Éireann. I have always championed agriculture, forestry, food, horticulture and fisheries. It is a key part of my mandate in Seanad Éireann to do so. It is important that this manifesto is addressed. It will be a guide and great help to the Leader and other candidates. I take this opportunity to wish the Leader and Deputy Leader well in the European elections.

This is the bible for rural Ireland and what farmers and rural communities are looking for. It addresses: CAP; overregulation; the issue and challenges around the simplification of agricultural policy; the nitrates directive; environmental fairness, which is a key issue in this debate; planning; the controversial residential zoned land, RZL, tax, which is still an issue; ash dieback; connectivity between political establishments and the European Union and rural communities and farmers; environmental inspections; the lack of a new revised charter for farmers and agriculture, which needs to be updated - it has long been promised; horticulture; food production; local authority farm inspections, which are especially challenging at this time; and the need for accurate calculations in respect of admissions and removals. The IFA manifesto is not a desktop exercise alone. It involved boots on the ground. It is experienced farmers making requests of politicians and we need to respond favourably. I salute the IFA for reasonable and fair proposals and pathways for sustainable and successful agriculture, which is critical to the Irish economy and its activities in employment, rural and urban communities and fairness across the sector.

I thank the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, for her announcement yesterday of €40 million for the repairs and improvements scheme for non-public roads and laneways, commonly known as the local improvement scheme, LIS. It is a good and positive initiative. She is clearly well connected into rural and agricultural communities. I am a great admirer of her work. We can accept the scheme as a positive announcement. These announcements seem to be coming every day; I cannot keep up with the Minister. She clearly has her boots on the ground, like many farmers, and this is the basis we should concentrate on regarding policy in the run-up to the European and local elections.