Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

I support the motion and its criticism of the manner in which Irish agriculture is being administered. No doubt the Minister has the best of intentions. Many of the issues referred to in the motion precede her term in office or are beyond her control but the Government still bears overall responsibility.

Among the issues referred to in the motion is the infamous nitrates directive. This issue has been left unresolved since 1991. No Government or Minister for Agriculture and Food, be they from the current coalition or parties from previous Governments that included Fine Gael and Labour, has done anything to resolve it. Putting this matter on the long finger for 15 years has led to a situation where farmers are now expected to adapt to measures introduced all at once and in a manner that appears to take little account of specifically Irish conditions or the relevant scientific research, such as it is. Some of that research has not been taken into consideration. Had this been the case and had it been done within an earlier timeframe, a more coherent argument could have been presented to the EU in support of a different approach being taken.

I concur with criticism of the Government's handling of the sugar beet issue. In effect, what we are witnessing is a process under which the Irish sugar beet sector is faced with destruction. The history of the sugar beet growers' contribution to rural Ireland cannot be emphasised enough. The EU has decided to sacrifice the sugar industry as part of its effort to secure a deal with the WTO. The Government ought to have resisted this and put up a stronger fight to save the industry. The thousands of growers and the many others in the sugar factories who have lost jobs or are threatened with the loss of their jobs deserve better.

Even if it is too late to save the sugar industry as it stands, I strongly urge the Minister to devote real efforts to directing the growing and processing of beet towards the production of biofuels. The State will have to meet EU targets for biofuels in the coming years and sugar beet and the existing processing facilities clearly present an opportunity, not only of meeting these but of placing Ireland prominently in what will be an expanding area in the future.

Many other issues are of concern, some of which, like food labelling and country of origin, are referred to in the motion. The ongoing contraction of income and falling farm numbers are also of serious concern. The rural development 2025 report forecasts that there will be around 10,000 full-time farmers in 20 years' time. That is a catastrophic prediction. The report appears to envisage an eventual elimination of small family farms and the consolidation of large commercially viable enterprises. If this happens, it will herald the destruction of rural Ireland. There is an onus on all of us, both in Government and in Opposition, to work collectively to ensure this will not be the case.

I wish to briefly refer to genetically modified, GM, food. Judging from the Minister's reply to my question about the growing of a trial GM potato crop in Meath, she appears to believe that this is none of her concern. Given that GM crops will inevitably contaminate conventional species, the implications for Irish farming and the marketing of Irish food produce are potentially catastrophic. I appeal to the Minister to make it her business to ensure that the Government reverses its pro-GM stance in the interests of Irish farmers and consumers. The argument has been put forward that GM crops can be grown alongside conventional crops without being contaminated but the evidence, both scientific and otherwise, is to the contrary.

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