Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Ó Cuív on tabling the motion. We all agree that we want to defend the Common Agricultural Policy and maintain the agriculture budget. The IFA put that message across strongly yesterday in its dignified national day of protest. There are fears of further cuts to agriculture in the December budget. It would be unfair and wrong to target lower income farmers, in particular farmers in the west who have smaller holdings, following on the cuts to last year’s disadvantaged areas scheme and the agri-environment options scheme. With the severe weather conditions and increasing input costs, there has been significant pressure on farm incomes. One must also take into account the dominance of the retail multiples. Given the number of jobs and exports involved, it is important we defend this important industry.

I wish to refer in particular to the disadvantaged areas scheme and the minimum stocking ratio requirement. In many situations in the west, the main holding is not in a disadvantaged area and therefore not in the disadvantaged areas scheme, DAS, which has resulted in cuts to payments under the scheme to the farmers in question. That issue must be examined. Farmers have sought deregulation. I was told that 350 farmers have been accepted and 1,000 farmers have been refused. The Department has written to approximately 950 additional farmers seeking more information.

The ICMSA president, John Comer, raised the issue of seeking help from the EU solidarity fund. He pointed out that funding of €30 million was available in 2009 under the EU solidarity fund. While the weather this year might not have been as bad as the awful weather in 2009, it is worth considering the possibility of getting assistance for people who are badly affected. Deputy Ó Cuív suggested a helpline should be set up to offer support and advice on the effects the bad weather is having on farmers and their families.

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