Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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It is great to broaden a debate, especially with our guests. It is our chance to let them see the type of problems that we, as representatives, deal with among the people who are affected, either positively or negatively, by the different funding streams.

Do the witnesses see and understand the type of problems that we as representatives encounter when we are dealing with those who are so affected, positively or negatively, by the different funding streams that come through?

As we are talking about family farms, I want to make one small point. The witnesses are all aware of the tradition going back over hundreds of years that, if there were five children in a family, the eldest child would inherit the farm. There might have been a little bit of envy on the part of the other siblings because the eldest would have a way to make a living and would be set up because he or she would have the land. However, now we are living to see the most unusual thing; the eldest children do not want to get the farm. They want to be the first out of the traps to go away and get a job, leaving the other siblings at home. It is the youngest ones who are left holding the can. Before, it was an honour and a great thing to inherit a farm. Now, there is a generation of young people growing up who do not want to inherit the farm because they do not see it as a viable way of making a living, especially if it is a small farm. As Deputy McGrath said, we cannot all be big ranchers. That is how far gone we are now in Ireland, especially with the small, traditional family farms. The children feel they cannot afford to be farmers. That is an awful sad reflection on all of us in Ireland and over in Europe. It is a sad day.