Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As the Taoiseach is aware, thousands of farmers took to the streets today in protest at the European Commission proposals for the next round of the World Trade Organisation talks which will take place in Hong Kong in December. Farming is the one sector in Ireland not to have felt the benefit of the Celtic tiger as it should have. In 1977 the country had 130,000 full-time farmers and this number has reduced by 17,000 to 113,000 full-time farmers now. Since 1997 when the Taoiseach came to office, 50 full-time farmers have left the land each week. The average income in 1997 was €14,000. Since then in many cases farmers' incomes have reduced and average farming income now stands at just €15,000 while the average industrial wage is at €30,000 per annum.

The Taoiseach should be aware that the farming community is very fearful of the proposals made by the European Commissioner, Mr. Mandelson, who has proposed cuts in tariffs of up to 60% in some areas. These proposals would spell the end for small and medium-sized farmers in Ireland and throughout the EU, and could cost the Irish food sector €800 million. The farming community was given clear assurances during the lead-up to the CAP reform in 2003 that that reform would form the negotiating position for the WTO talks in December 2005. Irish farmers signed up for CAP reform with the then Commissioner, Mr. Fischler, on that basis. They are now being told they will need to accept more cuts. The ink had hardly dried on the Fischler proposals and the cheques had barely started to come through, and they are now being told there is no certainty that these will deliver for farmers.

Can I take it that the Irish Government will work with other EU countries to stop proposals on the basis that they go too far and will decimate Irish farming? Has the Taoiseach spoken to the Irish European Commissioner, Mr. McCreevy? What is his view from the Commission in respect of the proposals made by the European Commissioner, Mr. Mandelson?

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