Mr. Eddie Punch:

That is why we are saying that supports for the sheep sector must be considered. When we look back over its history, it has always had supports. Some of us are old enough to remember when a significant part of the disadvantaged area payment was linked to sheep farming. In the current era, €12 per ewe will not keep the sector going.

Two things need to happen. We need to re-examine the argument about the Brexit adjustment reserve. We have been told repeatedly that no justification for doing so can be found, but justification has been found for using some of the reserve for the genomics programme, which benefits suckler and dairy farmers, and for the processing sector. Not enough has been done at departmental level to make the case for the Brexit adjustment reserve or a portion of same to be used for the sheep sector.

The reserve is an emergency programme. In the longer term, we must try to find a way of putting more money into the sheep improvement scheme or other measures. As Mr. Byrne outlined, the wool sector also needs to be considered. He can speak about that, but it is the case that a product has been sidelined by synthetic fossil fuel-based garments. Surely we live in an era when the tide has turned and we can go back to making garments from wool, which is a natural product with several advantages from the point of view of sustainability. Sustainability is probably one of the only issues that are discussed in policy nowadays, including economic policy. Wool is a more sustainable product than synthetic garments made from fossil fuel-based materials.

There is always a review of the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. The CAP rural development plan is in place for 2023 and 2024, but we need to consider seriously what we can do to improve the price of €12 per ewe. As most of those present understand, member states have to match financing to draw down Pillar 2 funds, but to be blunt about it, it is possible for a member state to go over and above the minimum co-financing required of it in a rural development programme under Pillar 2. This option must be considered seriously. There will be an opportunity to review how spending under other elements of CAP’s rural development programme is going, but let us be honest – this would mean additional funding from the Exchequer to top up the €12 per ewe.