Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to this important motion. As a mixed enterprise farmer, I know only too well the challenges faced not only last year but in previous years by the tillage sector. I believe that the tillage sector has a critical role to play in the future of agriculture in Ireland. Steps have been taken in recent years to aid the tillage farmers and tillage sector. Land mobility budgetary measures and the encouragement of long-term leasing are critical to a sector that has too farmers dependent on conacre. Our efforts in Europe to bring about the elimination of fertiliser tariffs and anti-dumping duties has gained traction.

Those efforts, along with addressing concerns over competition in Europe, should help to bring about a reduction in the cost of what is one of the most expensive inputs of a tillage farmer.

The inclusion of tillage in TAMS II is very important. The Minister will know from previous discussions how urgent it is to get that scheme open as soon as possible. Other measures, such as the protein crop payment under the basic payment scheme, and the first-time tillage measure, included as part of the knowledge transfer groups, are also key supports. They show the Government's commitment to the tillage sector. The previously discussed agriculture cash flow support loan scheme is also critical and will be very welcome when the fund will become available at the end of the month following the open call to financial intermediaries.

Tillage has a critical role to play in our agriculture industry, but not just to feed a growing beef and dairy sector or give more supplies to a burgeoning whiskey and distilling sector. In light of the commitments and challenges we face as a country owing to climate change, tillage has a massive role to play. An earlier speaker touched on the loss of the sugar beet industry, on which I campaigned passionately for a long time. What happened was a dreadful mistake for this country. Measures being brought in under the new CAP indicate the sugar beet industry always was key in crop rotation in the tillage industry. Tillage still has a very important role to play. The measures taken by the Government to date have supported the sector. I welcome the points made in our amendment and I will be supporting them. I refer to the ongoing work of the national tillage forum and the ongoing consultation facilitated by the Minister. We need an holistic approach to the sector not just in respect of the short-term issues currently faced, but also the longer-term issues, to ensure our tillage sector is well provided for. As an island nation, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past and we must ensure that we have a plentiful supply of tillage product in the future for the good of the overall industry.

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