Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and I thank the IFA for this report. It is important, particularly in the climate that we are in with Brexit and so on. My interest stems from the extent to which it impacts on the west of Ireland, with 80% of the cows there being suckler cows.

I am deeply concerned about the pressures being put on the suckler cow herd and the impact they will have on the wider rural economy and on farm family incomes. It has been stated that the average income is €12,529, but this is not the average income for farmers in the west. I know it is based on one survey, but there is another that suggests income is more like €3,000 a year. We need to be a bit careful with the average figures we are putting out because they will impact on Government policy.

There are several ways to address this. There is the €200 per cow. There is also the possibility the CAP might be cut and the need for basic payments. Does the IFA understand that basic payments must be weighted in favour of farms in the west? The IFA has suggested a cap, but I am not quite sure where it suggests that cap should be. Is it €100,000? Will the witnesses explain what they mean by labour being taken into account? Historically, the basic payments have been in favour of the bigger farmers. We can go back to 2000 and 2001 to look at some of the wrongs done that still need to be righted. What model does the IFA advocate in terms of the basic farm payment?

My next question is on areas of natural constraint. We have the details of the area being extended, but it is obvious we need additional payments to be able to compensate farmers according to the level of constraint on the land they are trying to farm. These questions are all related. I am very concerned about people who will come off the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, at the end of this month. What is there for them? Has the IFA discussed this with the Department?