Mr. Pat McCormack:

We want to see the CAP budget maintained. There is slippage in itself given the cost of inflation over the past 30 years. We would like to see the Pillar 2 rural environmental schemes practicable for commercial farms. There is a pH issue with our lime levels in soil where only 10% of soils are at an optimum pH level. That has an effect on water quality and fertiliser usage. That needs to be got right. There needs to be a funding mechanism, be it through the Exchequer or CAP reform, for our renewables policy where we can see Ireland come back into the equation from a renewable energy point of view.

There needs to be education for the consumer. Origin Green has educated farmers and made them environmentally aware as well as compliant with animal records and so forth. We need to bridge that gap. There is probably a place for Ornua and Bord Bia with some of the larger multinational companies to educate the consumer. If they want top-quality and environmentally friendly food products, they need to pay an economically sustainable price to ensure a farm family can have a viable living.