James Breen (Clare, Independent)

I am pleased to speak on this important Bill in regard to the amalgamation of Bord Bia and Bord Glas. As one of our major industries, farming is important to the country and every effort must be made to preserve and enhance it. The agrifood industry plays a vital role in our economy and is part of Irish culture. Incentives must be introduced to stop the flight from the land and make farming an attractive career for those lucky enough to be in a position to take up the opportunity. We must do all we can to ensure farmers have a viable income. We must also make farming an attractive and feasible career for young people to entice them to make the most of their heritage, while enjoying a lifestyle comparable to those in urban industry.

Major threats to the industry, as well as modernisation techniques, appear all the time. While some are dealt with through the imposition of stringent measures, others such as the nitrates directive are placing enormous burdens on farmers in some areas in regard to compliance.

Threats to the live export market should not be allowed from any person or organisation who wishes to interfere with it or stop it. Live exports form the basis of many farmers' livelihoods and are a vital component of some farmers' income. If this industry were to be suspended, we would be faced with a major crisis for many top farmers. A business which had been viable for years, not to mention a tradition, would effectively become history. Many farmers would be forced out of business and into early retirement.

Different initiatives emerge from time to time and organic farming appears to be an attractive option. Many of our farming methods have been organic in nature throughout the years, but in my county of Clare this is not always a practical option as only a small number of farmers are involved. Few places are available for the selling of cattle and the cost involved is prohibitive. Rogue traders must be rooted out as they damage the farming community considerably.

Steps have been taken in recent years to label produce accurately, which is a positive thing for the industry in this country. It even crosses over into the promotion of Ireland to foreign investors and governments. Bord Bia has several offices throughout Europe and with its expertise and marketing knowledge there is surely a market for more Irish produce on mainland Europe, one that can entice the small farmer as well as the large players to put some of their eggs in the European basket. The lambs produced here are second to none and our beef is world class. In a time of health-related scares, it is important to be able to stand over the quality and standard of Irish meat. However, it saddens me to hear from different sources that sirloin and fillet steaks served in some of our top hotels are not of Irish origin but are imported. In a beef-producing country we should be in a position to supply the service industry with our country's produce at a competitive rate.

There may be parallels with the issue of horticultural production here, which was raised previously in the Dáil. As a farming country we are producing the goods, but our marketing strategies do not appear to be effective enough to attract large supermarkets and top hotels to buy Irish, although they are happy to set up and sell to us.

It will come as no surprise to state that there are trying times ahead for the farming sector with the accession of ten new countries to the EU, but we should be prepared for that challenge and not be like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Let us be proactive not reactive in regard to farming. The Bill is a positive step and I congratulate the Minister on the consultation process involved prior to its launch and for the setting up of a dedicated horticultural subsidiary board.

Farming is an Irish way of life; it is steeped in tradition and family history. It is too important to be allowed to decline in economic importance. It is time to re-focus on its potential and to pool the resources of Bord Bia and Bord Glas to maximise the benefits for the farming community. I wish the new board well and pledge my support to its forthcoming initiatives. I am confident it will use its marketing expertise at home and abroad.

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