Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this motion. The farming industry in this country is divided along a variety of lines, including east versus west, producer versus non-producer, and those who look after the land versus those who derive some higher incomes from the land. This motion does nothing to address those realities. While it calls on the Government to carry out certain measures, what is more interesting are the issues it omits to mention. It has nothing to say, for example, about increased investment in the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, management of the new areas of natural constraint, increased investment for island fishermen, enhanced provision for agri-environment schemes and so on. There has been a focus on historical issues such as the abolition of the farm retirement grant and the young farmers' installation aid scheme.

Moreover, the motion contains no acknowledgement of the role the Minister has played in implementing a range of positive initiatives. These include the moves to establish producer organisations whereby sectoral interests in the agricultural industry will be in a position, legitimately and realistically, to take on retailers and factories in achieving better prices. This will be of particular benefit to the beef sector. I take this opportunity to congratulate the former Minister, Phil Hogan, on his new role as European Commissioner-designate for Agriculture and Rural Development. I am sure his appointment will be good for European agriculture while also bringing an Irish flavour to EU policy in this area.

The abolition of the milk quota presents both huge opportunities and significant challenges for Irish dairy farmers. That is not addressed in the motion. We all recall how the Fianna Fáil Party in government wrapped its arms around the construction industry. This led almost to a wholesale closure of agricultural colleges throughout the country, including Darrara College in my constituency. These days, by contrast, people cannot get into those colleges, such is the demand. Farming is once again an industry to be proud of and one which will sustain the rural economy east and west. We must have a more co-ordinated and nuanced approach to tackling the challenges that arise. This motion, unfortunately, is not helpful and serves only to intensify divisions within the sector.

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