John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity contribute briefly to the debate and to discuss the opportunities and challenges in Irish farming, following the successful negotiation of CAP last year and the budget of approximately €11 billion from Europe and almost €2 billion in Government funding over the next six years. I congratulate the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, on his appointment and wish him well. It is a key appointment for Ireland and he certainly demonstrated last week in no uncertain terms that he was on top of the brief even before he got his feet under the table. I hope all our MEPs will work closely with him in securing a good deal for Europe, but in particular for Ireland. It is a commissionership we always treasured when we had it in the past and we should do so again.

As was said by speakers on both sides, agriculture has been the mainstay of our economy, stretching the length and breadth of the country, since the foundation of the State. It has helped us to survive many recessions and depressions. In my constituency of Mayo, 12,500 farmers farm 700,000 acres and receive direct payments of €113 million. There are always challenges and we have seen the ball being lobbed from one side to the other this evening. As I said, in any market driven economy, we will have issues like the fodder and the beef crises, which have been spoken about, and the commonage issues. However, it is vital to strike the right balance in supporting production, in increasing exports to meet the targets of Harvest 2020 and in protecting vulnerable farmers on low incomes who must farm areas with poor land and in special areas of conservation. That balance has been struck by the Minister and I hope it will continue to be struck.

The beef crisis is a huge issue but I am glad prices have stabilised somewhat.

The crisis emerged because of a reduction in demand and an increase in supply. I welcome the efforts of producer groups in this regard and I hope the budget will offer support to the beef sector to help it overcome this crisis.

The issue of young farmers has been mentioned. Some young farmers do not appear to meet the European criteria. I ask that they be brought within the fold in order that the young farming population can remain in this sector.

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