Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I welcome each and every one of the witnesses here, including the Leitrim social farming group and the Kerry partnership social farming group. All the people, participants, hosts, farmers and parents are welcome here today. I thank the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this meeting and inviting the participants because this is very important. We know people have little problems and there is nothing better than going out in the fresh air on a farm and seeing nature at work. People may see a sheep having a lamb, a young fella feeding a lamb with a bottle, a cow calving or a horse, pony or donkey. Nature can engage people for hours and keep them talking and interested.

As has been said, we have many farmers - what we call hosts - participating. Those people to me are vital for giving their time. It usually is one day or a half day per week, whatever the participant wants. I know Mr. Joe McCrohan and Mr. Eamon Horgan personally. They do tremendous work. There are people in north Kerry doing the same type of work. We have young Brendan O'Sullivan here, who is a participant. He is mad about this venture into farming and seeing what is happening. He is a great man for work and everything. The project has tremendous value. At present, we hear that there are 60 participants and that Kerry Social Farming is looking for more funding. It needs funding to increase its services. Mr. McCrohan mentioned €100,000. God almighty, compared to what is spent on different types of projects all around the country, this is a very fair-minded ask. This is a great committee, which I am proud of. Everyone engages, listens and participates. All members are listening to the witnesses. We will join together as a committee to ask as hard as we can for that €100,000 for Kerry Social Farming. I believe in the organisation. I see the work it is doing and the value it has. There is a mother and a daughter in the Gallery all the way from Valentia Island. That is a long way from Dublin, but they are here supporting the call for what is being asked for here today, that is, €100,000. In the context of the budget and the €9.4 billion given out yesterday, we are only looking for a small amount. We are only looking for the change. Honestly, the witnesses do great work.

One thing I hear is that the host farmer has to bring the participant to and from the farm. Would it help if there were a bus service, or some kind of a service like that, to help those farmers?