Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Agriculture is of major importance to the country. We have to continue to export cattle. In 2015, 65,000 fewer cattle were exported on the hoof than in 2010. If we keep allowing that to happen, prices will decrease. The Turkish market is about to open, which is a good thing, but we have to keep our finger on the pulse. We need a group of people to concentrate on finding foreign markets as that is the only thing that will keep the pressure on factories.

I spoke openly about the single farm payment. Family farms have to be protected. In some parts of the country, 80% of the payments go to 20% of the farmers, something that cannot be sustained. People on the radio may complain about payments, but the reality is that 90% of what every farmer earns is spent locally in shops, hardware stores or general merchants, which creates jobs in local communities. If Ireland is to focus on regenerating rural areas, we will find that if we do not protect family farms, we will be in trouble.

Milk prices have hit a wall. There is no point in saying that we can give farmers a magic wand. The reality is that world markets will dictate the price of milk. Rightly or wrongly, Europe encouraged everyone to increase their herd sizes with the elimination of quotas, but now farmers are now paying the price. An increase of 3% or 4% makes a significant difference worldwide. We have to make sure that in planning for the future of beef, sheep or dairy farming, we do not encourage people down the wrong road as Europe has done.

Sheep prices have been fairly good this year, but sheep farmers have gone through difficult periods over the past four or five years. There are 2.4 million sheep in the country, and if budgets allow, a grant system or grassland-based system should be encouraged for the production of sheep.

Pig prices are going through a horrendous time. The EU has to make sure we keep a base price, in particular for smaller producers. Smaller producers throughout the country are hitting the wall.

I refer to the export of calves. It is good to see young suck Friesian calves going to countries such as Spain and Holland. If we do not maintain export levels, we will be in trouble.

We need to make the grant system farmer-friendly. Farmers should never be frightened to see a Department inspector pulling up outside their farms. The relationship has to be improved and to work because those who eat food, whether they like it, need farmers to keep producing it. We have to ensure a yellow card system that works for everyone is introduced.

In parts of the country, vulture funds are buying land beside farmers and are receiving the same grants. The system used to operate based on herd numbers, whereby if a person had a hard number, he or she received a grant for forestry but a vulture fund or bank would not. There is now an uneven playing field in parts of Leitrim, Longford and, in particular, the west which have been decimated. We have to try to tackle the issue.

At the end of the day, we have to encourage young farmers and try to do something to ensure they are included in any schemes. I refer to areas of natural constraint, ANCs. We have to move on and make sure that we put family farms first because that approach will create jobs and communities, which is how we want Ireland to go forward.

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