Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late. I think the key point in all of these discussions is to get more young farmers into farming over the next generation. A startling figure from Macra na Feirme is that the proportion of farmers over 80 years of age is larger than those under 35 years of age. That is a startling statistic in 2014. If that figure is not reversed in a reasonably short time the agricultural system will be in serious trouble. There must be a change of attitude and I hope this process will encourage that change. We need a carrot more than a stick approach to try to do that. I welcome the discussion.

Long-term leasing is very important to that process as well. I think the whole process has been very well articulated today. The ICSA has elaborated on long-term leasing and Macra na Feirme has emphasised the importance of the role of young farmers and active farmers becoming involved in the system. An attitude and mentality change needs to come about as a result of this.