Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State and thank Deputy Moynihan for tabling this motion. It is a timely motion and mirrors the concerns among farmers throughout the country. Deputy Kirk correctly referred to the milk quota, an issue that arises at many IFA meetings.

I attended a meeting in Athenry last week with my colleagues in east Galway. On the agenda was the budget, a matter we discuss every September with our colleagues in the farming organisations. However, in addition to that, farmers were very concerned about schemes such as the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, and particularly REPS 4, the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, the disadvantaged areas scheme and the suckler cow welfare scheme. There was concern about issues such as septic tank regulations and the planning and development regulations relating to farm improvements, particularly in wetlands. There was even a reference to turf cutting, a major problem in many parts of the country. I realise it is not within the remit of the Minister's Department but he will be aware that there is much uncertainty about what will happen in the future with regard to turf cutting. All these issues are emerging at IFA and ICMSA meetings. In having this debate in the House, we have the opportunity to raise these issues and, hopefully, to get a positive response from the Minister and the Minister of State.

The most important issue raised by farming organisations is the fact agriculture and the food industry support 300,000 jobs throughout the economy. That should be of concern to everybody in the country. It is not just an issue for the farming sector. I am sure our Deputies, Senators and MEPs will continue to raise the importance of agriculture, the fact it has been doing well and that we want to support what was supported by the last Government and has been supported by the current one up to now.

I was very interested to look at the proposals at which we were looking this time last year. The issues farmers raised were farm schemes and taxation measures. The priorities for farmers are the same this year as last year. In last year's budget, despite cuts made in previous budgets, there was a good response by the previous Minister for Finance and the previous Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith, to holding on to the schemes. There were some changes but the Minister did quite well in that regard and in regard to the taxation measures. I hope we can build on that because the agriculture and food industry is a major employer and the 300,000 jobs throughout the economy must be supported.

When I hear talk of CAP reform, I think, in particular, of Ray MacSharry and the work he did as Minister and as Commissioner. It was a major change to the traditional European farm support system. Coupled with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, it was a major change in terms of the way we look at agriculture today. It is very important for our younger farmers, in particular. I am glad the Minister referred to the issue of payments to young farmers. If we can support young, trained farmers, we will get a great return for the economy and, indeed, promote a way of life in which people are now very interested.

There have always been threats to the agricultural colleges, to which other speakers referred. Mountbellew Agriculture College in my constituency in County Galway, which was founded by the Franciscan Brothers, has been under threat. The community and all politicians went to Oak Park in Carlow two years ago to try to fight for the college. The figures now show there is a waiting list in Mountbellew as there is in other colleges, such as Pallaskenry in Limerick and Gurteen in Tipperary. It is the first time I have seen students from Galway go to other colleges because there are no places for them in their local college, although it is good that they can get a place elsewhere.

Teagasc has given extra teachers to Mountbellew and I compliment it on that. It shows the importance Teagasc is placing on the training of young farmers. This college, which was founded more than 100 years ago by the Franciscan Brothers, is getting the support it must get because the religious orders will not be there forever, although they will do their best while they are there. Teagasc is being very positive in helping to maintain courses and in supporting students doing various courses in the college.

I am concerned about the comments on the greening component. There are major worries about bureaucracy and red tape. I am glad the European Parliament is taking a particular interest in pressing for changes to be made which will be positive for Irish farmers and, indeed, for farmers generally.

There is great interest in environmental measures. The REPS, the AEOS and the various schemes in place have been successful. I would have liked the Minister to have had more money for AEOS. He told the House he had to fight hard for the money there but more money should be made available. I hope payments will be made quickly under those schemes. I am not sure that if one makes things very specific, such as specific types of fencing, one is helping the situation. The scheme under those environmental incentives should be more general.

The Dess report produced by the European Parliament, of which the Minister is a former member, was very positive. Following the Lisbon treaty, the role of the European Parliament should be significant. An issue it raised about putting a limit on the amount an individual farmer can get is very important. The problem has been that too many non-farmers are getting significant money and we are worried about that. There has always been the argument that 80% of the grants go to 20% of the higher earners. I would be disappointed if that continued.

I am glad we are having this debate. In particular, I wish the Minister well with Food Harvest 2020 which the former Minister, Deputy Brendan Smith, promoted strongly. That is the obvious place where extra jobs can be provided. The most recent document I got from the IFA talked about a policy framework for supporting rural Ireland and the Irish countryside. It mentions a place for living, working and for enjoyment. One rarely hears people talking about enjoyment in agriculture, especially at a time when the president of the IFA states that farmers only get half the industrial wage. However, it is a positive way to talk about enjoyment of the Irish countryside. I hope that with the efforts of Minister and the Government, there will be enjoyment and support for and confidence in Irish agriculture.

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