Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the context of CAP reform, there is a debate to be had on the appropriate policy instruments that we need to put in place. Risk management is an issue. To date, this country has not availed of risk management tools that other countries see as a fundamental part of their protections. Our system does not function well. This is an area we can examine.

In terms of our commitment to family farms and thanks to the previous CAP reform and the move towards equalisation, we have transferred €180 million from large to small farmers over the lifetime of the current CAP. This Government, including my predecessor, the Tánaiste, wants greater supports for smaller holdings, which form a critical part of the fabric of rural Ireland, so please do not give us lectures. I do not question anyone's commitment to family farming, but the credentials on this side of the House in terms of acknowledging the particular difficulties of small holdings is second to none.

I take the point about the difficulties that individual farmers are facing. I also take Deputy Eugene Murphy's point about not saying that people are not suffering from mental health issues. It is a stressful situation, call it whatever else one will. The fundamental message is that assistance is available. I receive regular briefings from Teagasc, including today, about the situation across the country. I have been in contact with most, if not all, of the active co-operatives. Twenty-six importers have been approved and are receiving support from my Department to import fodder. Others are making fodder available locally. Fodder is being transferred from Deputy McConalogue's own county of Donegal to Tipperary. Deputy Cahill knows that. This is the kind of collaboration that will be at the heart of the effort that will get us out of this situation. My Department has a role to play in that context and we have stepped in.

I take Deputy Eamon Ryan's point that the next CAP reform will place greater obligations on us to acknowledge that we are living through climate change and will have to devise and gear payments and schemes so that our agriculture sector is sustainable. "Sustainable" means different things to different people, for example, economic, environmental and social sustainability. All of these are important, and they have been acknowledged in the context of Food Wise 2025, which we should not dismantle.

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