Mr. John Keane:

From a wider industry context point of view and what we are seeing within our membership and our group within Macra na Feirme, there is a recognition that almost half of our membership is female, which is something for us to be very proud of, as are a lot of our leaders. As Ms Richardson correctly said, three of our main leaders are fantastic women who are great advocates for the organisation. In the wider sectoral context, we provide role models and the opportunity for women to come forward. Looking at the 20x20 project in sport, the slogan was "If she can't see it, she can't be it". There is a role and appetite required in order to provide that equal opportunity for young women to come into our sector. That is at a number of different strands. As Ms Richardson said, that includes the conversation at the kitchen table around the expectation of what young female farmers or young women in farming enterprises might like to do.

It is also around tailoring an education piece that is suitable for young female farmers that meets their needs and identifies those challenges. We could look, as a sample, at the tractor course that is run in Pallaskenry in conjunction with the Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group. There had been excessive demand there from young female farmers and because of that it was specifically provided for them and identified as a weakness. It is those kinds of initiatives to provide an opportunity of education for young female farmers that we need entering the sector. Those supports include the knowledge transfer, KT, groups. Over a period of time, the integration of those KT groups with those strong female representatives into the wider sector to ensure those role models are present within the sector is needed.

It comes down to an attitude shift within the sector as well of the role young female farmers can play as we go forward. We are all acutely aware in farming families across the country of the role of the female in the household - I am referencing my own mother - and the importance those people have within the farming enterprise is invaluable. It is about that recognition as well and identifying the barriers in the family home. The succession pathway is one of those issues about which a piece of research into what those is needed. There are barriers to education and access to education, be they peer pressure or the opinion one's peers might have of entering farming and that it is not a position or a career for X, Y or Z to take up. Barriers exist within the wider sector, be they within industry, employment issues, issues in terms of organisational development, us included. What are those barriers that prevent our young female people entering into those? There are three or four different strands required from a research point of view to help identify those, as well continuing to support and develop them further to break down both the stigma and the issues that exist around succession at family and farm level.