Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ms Maher has covered most of what I was going to say. To come back on what Senator Boyhan said, it is no wonder Ireland ranks second lowest in Europe for organic farming when the research into organic crop production is being done by the groups themselves and there is no funding for it. No supports are being given in order that potential suppliers can grow. I wonder about the research end of this. Ms Maher mentioned the small farmers scheme in place in 15 other countries under the CAP. Have the witnesses priced an overall package? How much would it cost a government to get involved in this? I imagine that in the overall scheme of things it would be very little money, but the potential to grow that sector could be huge. As Deputy Leddin said earlier, it is a no-brainer that the Government should come on board with the witnesses such that groups such as theirs should not have to depend on doing any kind of research themselves. Have the witnesses a ballpark figure for these kinds of schemes being supported like that?