Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Durkan. From my own point of view, we know the Government and the Departments are going through the details but does the Minister of State have any initial impression or is it fair to ask whether Ireland can support the European Commission's proposal on the future budget? I am thinking of the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, in particular, following on from yesterday's meeting where we heard an outline of that. From a constituency perspective, we are dealing with people worried about the future budget for CAP and what that will mean for our people on the ground and our farming community. I often deal with people in that sector. They are worried about the future for young farmers. There is a drive on - I acknowledge work in this regard by the Commissioner - towards making it more attractive for a transition from the present generation of farmers to the newer generation.

As the Minister of State knows herself, farming in future will not be sustainable, unless the farm is large and has full time employment for any young man or woman wishing to take over a family farm. I am worried and fearful for what future budgets are going to mean for transitions on what I call the family farm. In the past, different schemes were available as incentives for farmers. They were helpful because people, before they got older, were able to see the financial sense in transferring over to the younger generation. Schemes such as the young farmers installation grants were helpful. I would like to hear the Minister of State's view on this. Also on Brexit-----