John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Fine Gael Private Members' motion on the impact on Irish agriculture of the WTO talks and I commend Deputy Creed for tabling it.

There should be no need to emphasise the importance of agriculture to the Irish economy. It has been the backbone of this country down through our history. Other sectors of the economy have come and gone but agriculture has been a constant. When it is thriving Ireland does well and when it is in crisis not only the farming community is affected. We only have to look back in history to see plenty of examples, the failure of the potato crop in the 1840s being the most vivid because of the catastrophic effect it had on our population.

When we joined the EEC, as it was in the 1970s, the big selling point was the benefit it would bring to our farming community. This was proved correct in a number of ways with benefits accruing from many policies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy. However, the good news for Irish agriculture will come to an abrupt halt unless we have a major change in direction in the WTO talks. The concerns and interests of Irish agriculture and the wider agribusiness have to be taken into account because ultimately it will be the consumer who will lose if this does not happen.

The loss of the sugar beet industry in the past and its consequent knock on effects should have been a lesson to us all. The cost to the economy of an estimated €4 billion with the loss of 50,000 jobs in farming and thousands more in the food industry is something we cannot allow to happen. In recent years, various sectors of the farming community have had difficulties. Their income has not in any way kept pace with other sectors in the economy and this would be the last straw which would break the camel's back.

IFA figures suggest that in my county of Mayo, the estimated cost would be €123 million. The blow would be felt in our county not only among the farming community. In the small town of Ballyhaunis, 600 people are employed in meat and poultry plants with a further 100 employed in Ballinrobe. The 600 jobs in Ballyhaunis are equivalent to at least 6,000 jobs in a larger urban area. It should be noted that in recent years farmers were able to top up their incomes with part-time employment outside agriculture. However, this avenue will be greatly reduced with the downturn in our economy.

In recent times we have heard about the problems with global food shortages and the dramatic rise in prices. Food security needs to be made a top priority in these talks and this is not the case at present. With the beef and dairy industries contributing 17% of our total exports and contributing €6 billion in goods and services to the economy it is crucial that these talks have a positive outcome for Irish farmers. The Minister and the Government must do whatever is necessary to protect Irish farming by ensuring there is no sell-out in the WTO talks. Time is running out and a marker must be put down quickly. It is not sufficient and it is too vague to suggest that we will negotiate a balanced agreement. The future of Irish farming must not be put at risk. I strongly commend the motion to the House.

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