Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate tonight because it is of immense importance to all of us who represent rural constituencies. The farming and agrifood sector contributes almost €24 billion to the economy, supporting up to 300,000 jobs but in my constituency there are 5,991 farms averaging 34.5 ha. Of them 4,945 are cattle farms and of those 3,847 earn less than €25,000 per annum. The issue we are discussing tonight has a significant impact on my constituency and I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of a very large section of my constituency in County Limerick. The Minister asked my colleague for suggestions to continue to address the problem. I would first counsel the Minister to avoid complacency at all costs. Any notion that we are through the worst of this must be knocked on the head. Last night there was a very heavy rainfall across the country and serious quantities of water washed off the land. We are in an era of real climate change. There is a reluctance in this country to face up to the issues raised by climate change. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, has kicked the can down the road.

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