Mr. Martin Stapleton:

Like our colleagues in the hospitality industry, we have been seeking permits to bring in non-EU workers. For the past ten to 15 years Irish farms have been given a supply of workers from eastern and south eastern European countries, but that supply is no longer sufficient to match demand. Like my colleagues, we have hit a stone wall in the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in getting permits to bring people in. The downside is that it will limit the capacity of our industry to grow in accordance with the projections made.

On apprenticeships, we need a pathway for people to enter agriculture, to secure an apprenticeship to become trained managers and have an opportunity to go on and become farm business owners, which is different from the low-skilled workers we are hoping to bring in from outside Europe. That can only be done through having a proper apprenticeship scheme in place. An opportunity is needed to set it up whereby people would be incentivised and given the wherewithal to take on apprentices in order that they would be able to build a career in the farming sector and have an opportunity to fulfil their ambitions.

As regards water charges, it is about harmonisation and making sure everybody gets fair play. It is a source of particular frustration that those involved in community water schemes are still paying for water, which is not fair. I do not know how long Deputies and Senators will allow that to continue, but it is unfair that although water charges have been rescinded for everyone else, those involved in community water schemes still have to pay. Most of those involved in large-scale farm businesses use their own well water, which involves a significant cost in pumping and supply, but it is more competitive than having to pay for community water schemes. Those whose farms are fragmented often have to pay for the connection of two, three or four water meters. If one is connected to the supply line, one should only have to pay for one connection.