Dáil debates

Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meeting: Statements

 

3:20 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I concur with many of the previous speakers, and Deputy Naughten in particular, about specific payments for sheep farmers. It is a difficult area. The beef and milk sectors also need supports. As Deputy Naughten stated, farmers kept the economy going in the recession. The Government claims that we have recovered from it but we have not. Farming kept rural Ireland alive, as it did in many other dark recessions down the years. When farmers do well, they spend that money locally.

When they must apply for GLAS, they must pay a certain amount to get a qualified person, yet they might not even get onto the scheme. We have too many announcements and not enough substance behind them. The delay in payments for the partnership scheme that people entered into in good faith, the single farm payment and not being able to get in contact with the Department are frustrating and annoying. This is a major issue. When I raised this, the Minister told me that we were one of the best in Europe, but if we are, then they must be very bad in Europe, and I do not believe that.

People are looking for gardaí in rural Ireland and there is one garda for every 370 people, but there is one agricultural inspector for every 30 or 35 people. What is going on? Why is there not more efficiency and why do we not have more time to deal with issues?

I appeal to the Minister to re-establish the Land Commission or some form of land agency to stop the swallowing up of farms in Tipperary, east Cork, west Waterford and everywhere else by certain large racing syndicates. It is terrible that small farmers are being bought out and bulldozed out of the way. The Land Commission was introduced to disseminate large estates in the 1940s. It did a good job. Now, a conglomerate wants to invest in every five or ten acres that are going. This is unpalatable, unfair and morally wrong and needs to be addressed. People are afraid to discuss it because the organisation is so powerful, but it is not good for the future of farming.

I salute the organisation's powers over the stud book. What it does with racehorses is wonderful but now is the time to let the farmers live, not to drive peasant farmers off the land or make them unsustainable. We need an agency, for example, a reinstated Land Commission, to consider what amount of land any one group can own and fence off to the point that not even a snipe can get through. This relates to hunting, fishing rights, etc. It is wrong. I appeal to the Minister and the Department to sit up and listen before it is too late. This issue not only affects south Tipperary, but north Tipperary, west Waterford, east Cork and beyond. Thousands of acres have been amassed. This is not acceptable to young farmers who want to buy ten, 15 or 20 acres to make their farms viable and expand. It is not acceptable that farming organisations and everyone else is turning a blind eye. We have seen enough of big business ruining our country in many respects. We do not want that to happen to the good farmers in Tipperary and elsewhere. I am speaking for Tipperary. This situation is too much. I appeal to the Minister to examine it and set up a body to consider land usage policy.

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