Mr. Liam Dunne:

Mr. O'Regan is right. There will only be a future if these people get support. If they do not, then a large proportion of this area will go out to grass. That means that a large proportion of the grain and straw produced in these areas, which are closest to the market place and where transport costs are low, will be lost. In addition, stubble ground takes up a huge amount of slurry and municipal waste after the crops. Under the Nitrates Directive we need another 50% of land for pig slurry and another 25% or 30% for chicken layer. A reduction will cause problems in that respect. We have already seen straw losses.

If the ground producing straw is lost in future we will have another problem due to an uneven balance in the supply and demand for straw. My neighbours and I will certainly not complain if the price of straw stays up, but if one is running along the margins one will run into severe problems in some years with a consequent fodder crisis again. I do not want to see tillage land being lost in the west of Ireland. It may not be obvious to many people, but biodiversity is required in such areas, instead of having all grass we also badly need cereals.

I will briefly run through the remaining questions. Deputy Pringle asked what progress was being made with the medium-term items on our list. We raised all these issues at the forum. As regards the use of native grains in rations, a lot of the mills have taken on board the lessons learned since our visit to the seaside during the summer. There will be further talks with many of them in order to put a scheme in place. We could do with departmental support on that.

As regards the importation of harmful weed seeds, that really is down to the Department. I am sure that many members of the committee watch the Australian TV programme "Nothing to Declare", so they will clearly know how strict those authorities are on what can be brought in. All grains imported from outside Ireland need to be screened in order to solve the problem simply.

As regards native grains in whiskey and beer, the brewers and distillers have told us they will become more involved with malt and barley growers, and will give them more support. We welcome that but we also need this committee's support.

There is serious resistance on the Continent to the abolition of tariffs on fertiliser imports. One may ask why, given that European farmers are also buying fertilisers. The structure of farming on the Continent is quite different, however, because most cereal growers there are within large co-ops, on an even larger scale than our dairy farmers and Glanbia here. Those continental co-ops are often owners or part-owners of fertiliser companies. They are producing fertiliser themselves and supplying it to their own farmers. In addition, there is a profit dividend which goes back to the growers. It is a totally different structure from ours, so we are being left out on a limb. We are certainly not on a level playing field where fertiliser is concerned.

As regards the competition authority and plant protection products, we see a major problem coming down the line with Brexit. The British are one of our allies when it comes to negotiations on plant protection, including price and availability, but if they quit the system we will be left out on a limb. We are very worried about it. After Brexit, we could and most probably will see genetically modified products being grown in the UK, right on our doorstep. Some of that could easily be filtered back in here.

It is down to the Minister to sort out the expansion of the protein area in Brussels and get us an answer. He should give us a chance to expand that a little further. We have grown fully into what was asked of us and we will continue to do so if we can.

We would like to see the immediate roll-out of TAMS, and we mean now. We know from our talks with Department officials that they are practically ready for this. It is up to the Minister to announce it . We would hope to see an announcement before Christmas. We think that is possible and it should be done. A lot of equipment will be available to all sizes of tillage farmers, including quite small equipment that will be useful to many people whose incomes are under severe pressure.

We have a simple request concerning a reduction in the burden of compliance with greening, which would solve the three-crop rule problem, that is, equivalence. Through a GLAS, one can be allowed to grow one crop provided that one supplies green cover. The issue at the moment is that Brussels is insisting on 100% green cover. As it is, however, one is allowed to grow 75% of one crop, so one is only talking about the extra 25%. Therefore, that green cover should be 25%.

We have a very small number of farmers who are trying to grow 100% green cover. It is almost impossible. That small change would make a substantial difference for all the growers along the coast. They could grow just the one crop, a spring crop, where the barley is needed and there is a market for it, rather than growing crops for which there is not a market. We have asked the previous and current Ministers as well as raising it repeatedly in Brussels. It is a small, simple change and we do not seem to be able to effect it.