Mr. Eddie Downey:

I thank the joint committee for giving us the opportunity to address it. As stated by the Chairman, I am accompanied by Mr. John Lynskey, chairman, national sheep committee; Mr. Peter Shields, vice chaiman, national sheep committee, Mr. Pat Smith, general secretary; and Mr. Kevin Kinsella, director of livestock. We wish to outline the case for increased support for the sheep sector and the specific proposals the Irish Farmers Association has put to the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on behalf of sheep farmers.

The sheep sector is the third largest farming sector in Ireland, with over 34,000 producers and an output value of €300 million per annum. The sector is very important in terms of the number of farmers involved, strong export earnings of over €220 million and the very positive social and environmental contributions it makes in rural areas, particularly in remote areas and on hills where it is not possible to conduct any other type of farming enterprise. Sheep farming is particularly important in counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Kerry and Wicklow and is also strong in counties Roscommon, Cork, Wexford, Meath, Tipperary, Sligo and Carlow. I was informed earlier by the vice chairman that it was particularly important in County Lout also.