Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille. Ar bhealach, is Bille teicniúil é, ach ag an am céanna, tá sé an-stairiúil chomh maith. Mar a bhí daoine eile á rá, baineann sé le Coimisiún na Talún agus go leor feirmeoirí agus gluaiseachtaí i stair na tíre seo. Tá sé tráthúil chomh maith go bhfuilimid ag caint anseo ar an mBille Talún 2004, mar, díreach 70 bliain ó shin, cuireadh comhluadar d'fheirmeoirí ar bun i gContae na Mí, nach bhfuil ró-fhada uaimse i mBaile Brigín i dtuaisceart Chontae Átha Cliath. Sa lá atá inniu ann, tá an comhluadar sin fós beo agus ag dul ó neart go neart. Tá Gaeltacht ann anois sa cheantar idir Ráth Chairn agus Baile Ghib. Ag an am céanna, is trua liom a rá nach bhfuil an méid céanna feirmeoireachta ar siúl sa cheantar is a bhí 70 bliain ó shin. Tá an chuid is mó de na daoine a lonnaíodh ann le breis is 20 acra an duine ag brath ar fhostaíocht eile anois seachas feirmeoireacht. Tá feirmeoirí ann fós, cé nach leor 20 acra a thuilleadh chun slí bheatha a bhaint amach. Is mar sin a bhíonn rudaí, agus tá sé stairiúil ag an am céanna.

While the Land Bill deals with ownership we must take into account that straightforward ownership is no longer sufficient in terms of this legislation. We should also take into account that the virtual ownership of land must be considered in terms of the predatory policies of the GM companies. For example, in legal terms a land owner is the actual owner of the land but, increasingly in law in other countries where GM food is grown, the GM company is in many ways the franchise holder of that land. Once land has gone into GM production it is no longer possible to grow organically on it. Conventional crops are effectively compromised because of the GM history of the land.

The Department must take into account the more complex nature of land ownership in the future. I hope we will not have to countenance GM crops. Many farmers would not like to be faced with that compromise situation and are resisting it. Some farmers in Tipperary are taking the initiative and producing their own GM-free farm signs which they sell to landowners, including farmers, so that they can make a strong case that their land is to be GM free.

The longer-term investment in land ownership also changes the nature of what is being discussed in the Land Bill. For example, it would be more fruitful if forestry grants were fully restored and if the potential of forestry was realised. That would be of benefit not only to farmers in respect of long-term income but also in terms of biodiversity and tourism.

The Bill is all the more important because of the potential for many farmers to get involved in energy production, which is one of the challenges we will face. We must work with farmers to devise ways in which land can be best utilised. Traditionally, food production has been a primary land use but, increasingly, energy and building materials are becoming necessary crops. I accept there has been movement on anaerobic digestion and biomass. There was an excellent biofuel conference yesterday in Carlow, which was organised by the Green Party to try to provide a positive option for many of the sugar beet growers who are currently faced with a bleak future due to the closure of the Carlow sugar factory. I welcome the Bill which provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the nature of land use.

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