Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Consolidation in Horticultural Grower Numbers: Discussion

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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Low-cost selling requires a job of work from us all. If an example can be shown, it would come back on the argument the Minister and Department have put out there to the effect that it is totally unworkable, which is the word the Minister used. Perhaps something could be produced to show how it can work. It would be worthwhile to put such an argument together. That would be a good piece of work.

The IFA has stated that Ireland should be able to stand on its own two feet far more when it comes to growing fruit and vegetables, in particular. Much more of that growth was done years ago. People had no choice. They grew their own fruit and vegetables and ate them. That was how they survived. It can be done. On the final point about better supports, I wonder what more can our guests say and tell us in respect of what is practically needed today. Do we need to make the payment that is there an annual payment? Do we need more not only to sustain the sector but to grow it to meet the potential that is there? What do our guests consider the better supports?