Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

In the short time available to me, I wish to speak about young farmers, the men and women who entered into farming having taken the courageous step of sacrificing university careers on the basis that there was a future for them in the sector. Many of these young farmers who have taken up the early retirement scheme and are hopeful the installation aid scheme will be reinstated, now feel trapped. There is no incentivisation of farming for young people and there is an absolute logjam in terms of a conduit for farmers to enter the sector. Many young people who are half way through or have only two months remaining of their course in relation to the installation and early retirement schemes have been cast aside. The Minister has an opportunity to address this situation. Even if his colleagues vote against the motion tomorrow night, he can still do something in regard to the course for the installation and early retirement schemes.

Other issues arise in respect of hill-farming. I represent an area with a vast acreage of hill farmers. Currently, the payment under the ewe maintenance scheme is €30 with an extra payment for hill farming. The Minister can do something in this area. These are but two specific issues which I would like the Minister to address.

Farmers have bought into the idea of cross-compliance and believed they would receive extra money for quality stock, be it ewes or animals. That has not happened. The current system is not working. While there is much talk about food security on a global scale, we must examine security at a local level. People are going on solo runs and setting up their own farm enterprises and using them to source food locally.

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