Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the gentlemen for their presentation. Great thought went into it. Mr. Wall outlined the UFA policy objectives. I take it there is a problem with commonages in some areas that needs to be addressed and Mr. Wall has set out the many challenges facing the Department in addressing them. He set out the UFA's concerns. Deputy Ó Cuív referred to the committee's dealings with departmental officials and the NPWS last week. Mr. Wall said all development measures and programmes should be implemented in consultation with all stakeholders. New CAP future funding streams need to be examined in the context of commonages. Different views were expressed as to how adequately that could be funded. Where they are set aside, a payment needs to be considered, if that is possible, without having a negative impact.

I agree that the collective agreement concept for the future governance of commonages is a potential minefield. While I am from County Kildare and I am at a remove from the undergrazing issues in the west, not everybody on the commonages in my area gets on and there would be difficulties in trying to reach a collective agreement. Is there a clear alternative to that? It would be just as significant a problem to steamroll everyone and tell them what would happen, from the State's point of view, because it would then be accused of pursuing a nanny state, as it would be to give everyone an equal say and not reaching an agreement. The UFA says this will inevitably lead to conflict but there will be conflict either way. If one goes in with the big stick, there will probably be conflict.

I accept that the concept of holding all farmers responsible collectively for the action or inaction of others is unfair.

That is probably linked with the association's objective that dormant shares have to be purchased. Is it fair to say that is where the association is heading? Rather than it being given to the one or two who are active the witness says it should be up for grabs and that anyone who was never in commonage previously could purchase. Is that correct? Perhaps Mr. Wall would expand on that point. In general I thank him for his contribution.