Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I am speaking on behalf of many farmers in my constituency of north County Dublin, as well as farmers throughout the country. I ask the Minister to take on board what has been said here because this is a very urgent motion. The issue of labelling is relevant due to the experience of the foot and mouth outbreak. It is relevant to the way retailers and restaurateurs can source food quickly from overseas, forcing down the price of Irish farm produce. It is relevant also because, in effect, less food is now being grown in Ireland by many farmers. It is impoverishing farmers and all of us because we do not have the proper policy to encourage the development of agriculture and prevent its demise.

In 1980, 385 acres of tomatoes were grown in Ireland and this is now down to 50 acres. Gas bills have increased by 40% in a year. These factors, which are effectively forcing people out of business, require the Minister's understanding and intervention. In 2000, there were 956 potato growers in the country. In 2004, this number had decreased to 700 growers. Week by week, people are getting out of agriculture. The number of vegetable growers, many of whom are in my constituency, has halved in the past five years. This is a recent phenomenon. This is a haemorrhage in agriculture.

The Government must take responsibility for what is happening. Many farmers are now encouraged to sell for building land rather than grow food because they are guaranteed a return when they sell land for building. They may as well do so when one examines the development levies in a number of counties, even development levies on polytunnels. I know that Kildare is an exception to this, and I wish other counties were more enlightened. As a result, the production of other crops such as strawberries will decrease because it will not pay farmers to erect a polytunnel.

On the other hand, there are increased costs and increased vulnerability in the food supply. Between 1978 and 1999, road transportation of food increased by 50%. When people visit a restaurant and take into account where the food came from, they will discover that the average meal in a restaurant now involves items that in total have travelled an average of 24,000 miles. When we talk about the country of origin and where ingredients come from, we must also take into account where the oil comes from. Transporting food 24,000 miles requires a lot of energy, and this figure is increasing. If Irish food is not available, the alternative will continue to increase as oil prices increase. We are all aware of the story of Nero fiddling as Rome burns. This motion is a plea to the Minister not to be a Nero. We need to save Irish agriculture from demise and the trend that has become apparent.

There was some hope in 1997 when the IFA met retailers to agree that 48.3% of the retail price would be paid to growers in the horticultural sector. Supermarket retailers told suppliers that they should respect that agreement, which lasted for a little more than a year. Now the personnel has changed and the situation is deteriorating. Currently, the average price growers receive is 35%, and this is decreasing even though the price of food is increasing. The Minister should inform her colleagues around the Cabinet table that they are killing her sector.

The whole area of GM food is seen as a panacea. We must be careful because a Wall Street report said it is a bad investment. Health studies have not been carried out in the long term and insurance cover is not available. If it puts its eggs in this basket, the Government will risk further the demise of Irish agriculture. We have an opportunity to go forward as a GM-free country, which trades on its green, clean image, but the Government does not appear to realise the potential of doing so.

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