Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

The agricultural industry is vital for social and economic development and as part of the fight back against the current economic recession. The industry is annually worth €22 billion, representing 6% of gross domestic product, and accounts for €8 billion in exports. It provides 150,000 jobs on 128,000 farms and in up to 600 industrial firms. Irish agriculture has the benefit of being organic and green, a good platform from which to tap into the global food market which has seen increased consumption. This worldwide expansion in consumption provides an opportunity to expand the industry and create more jobs in it. State enterprises can assist in this area through, for example, providing research and development. Our universities have up to 3,000 postdoctoral and 3,000 other researchers who can be used as the base for developing State enterprises in the food and agricultural area, creating jobs, putting many on the dole queues back to work and thereby making huge savings in social welfare payments.

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