Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the members of the IFA for their presentation. As they outlined, the sheep industry is a very important part of our overall agricultural package. It supported the economy when we were in the doldrums and it is important we do not lose sight, as we have done previously, of the role agriculture plays. Not every acre of land in this country is suitable for dairy or beef production and a lot of sheep production is in areas of natural constraint. I agree with Mr. Lynskey that we should try to restore the payment under the old disadvantaged areas scheme, now known as the area of natural constraints scheme, back to its 2008 level. It is important, not only for rural Ireland, to keep people in active farming in those areas.

It is important farmers in beef and sheep production are allowed draw a knowledge transfer payment for both sections rather than a joint payment and we will have to lobby the Minister on this.

Fencing should be included in TAMS II. We can spend up to €100,000 on a milking parlour and get support from TAMS but if somebody spends up to €5,000 on fencing, which is very important for his or her type of farming, that must be included in TAMS II. The committee must take that up with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Many have expressed support for coupled payments. As a nation we have moved away from coupled payments. I always supported them for sheep and suckler herds. We have progressed the suckler herd into the beef genomics programme to try to improve the quality of the suckler herd. We could bring up a similar scheme for sheep. We would be starting from a low base because we do not have the research criteria. Something like that would be better than a coupled payment which might damage the industry by increasing numbers for the sake of increasing them, whereas it would be important if people were paid some sort of incentive for improving their breed, their herd and sheep flocks.

Young farmers are very important. Maybe the IFA witnesses could tell us how many young people are involved in sheep farming. It was not a sexy thing to be in. Sheep farming is a hard way of life. One can put a cow up a crush but when you want to do something with a sheep you have to catch it. It is a physically demanding job. Young people will not go into it unless they can get a financial return. Lamb prices have been fairly steady and good for the past year but because prices were depressed for three or four years there was no incentive for people to stay in sheep production.

It is important that fencing be included in TAMS II. The knowledge transferred is that farmers are entitled to both payments. I question the coupled payment but there has to be some support, in a different way and given the areas of natural constraint. With the economy picking up and a few more quid in the coffers, it is time to restore those cuts because the areas involved in sheep production are those under natural constraint and it would be a way to keep people in active farming in these areas.