Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I congratulate Deputy Michael Moynihan on bringing forward this motion and I thank the Minister for accepting it. I was impressed the motion recognised the importance of the western counties to farming and to provide greater support to small and medium-sized farms.

Last night I was heartened when the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Simon Coveney, pointed out there was an increase in the number of students attending agricultural colleges in recent years. I know applicants have been turned away from Mountbellew Agricultural College recently. Last year I and some Members from the 30th Dáil had to meet with Teagasc authorities to ensure a reprieve against the closure of the college. I must record my thanks to the former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith, and Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, for their help in this regard. I must also thank the Franciscan Order for providing the opportunity for many young people in the area to receive an education in agricultural science. We must build on this and I believe Teagasc has a role in the future development of the agrifood sector.

Problems with red tape are being raised by many farmers. Some in the west have informed me about the new sheep dispatch sheet for the sale of sheep which is a very complicated document. The new Agri-environment Options scheme, AEOS, describes a specific type of fencing required by farmers. This is not the way to go. Many farmers have pointed out the problems with this over-bureaucratic approach.

Today, farmers marched in Dublin to highlight the gap between the price they receive for milk and the price in the supermarkets. This is another area that needs to be addressed.

There has been disappointment with the delays in the 2010 AEOS payments and the maximum payment of €4,000 in the new scheme. This should be rectified, particularly when one considers how the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, improved farming over the past several years with up to 60,000 farmers participating in it. It is frustrating that many of these environmental measures and schemes get much support in Europe yet Ireland cuts back on them.

The Food Harvest 2020 programme has an ambitious target to increase the value of agrifood exports from €8 billion to €12 billion by 2020. The green image of Irish agrifood must also be promoted in conjunction with tourism agencies. I hope the Minister of State will ensure this progress is made. I thank the Minister for taking on board this motion. Deputy Michael Moynihan's motion has allowed us to develop points on improvements in the agricultural sector, of which the farming community is deserving.

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