Ms Mona O'Donoghue-Concannon:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to be here today. I reiterate what all the ladies are saying. I am a full-time farmer farming under my husband. Recognition is something that we greatly need. I am just hitting 40 years of age and I have never done a green certificate. I cannot be in a partnership with my husband because anyone aged over 40 cannot go into a formal partnership. I have a business degree and I worked full-time on the farm for over ten years. These are the barriers.

I urge members to listen to our views. We are very active and enthusiastic. As many of the members picked up, we are all willing to come together in our organisations. We have their backing, which is great, and we can work together to get our points of view across.

A question was asked about what the organisations are doing. I was the first female vice president of the ICSA.

The backing I received from the organisation was fantastic, as was the backing of the wider community when I was out and about. If we do not get the Government and others on board, we will be climbing a wall we cannot reach the top of.