Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This question refers to something we have heard talked about on many occasions recently, namely, the issue of farmers having to be full-time farmers, or at least to get the majority of their income from farming. On many small holdings on marginal land, it is very difficult for people to make a living. The reality is at least one person, if not two people, in the household have to work off-farm in order to be able to do that, and this is particularly so in areas of natural constraint, where it is more difficult to make a living. I question whether there is a trend coming in the new CAP arrangement towards some restrictions in this regard, which would be very worrying for the majority of farmers who find themselves in that category.

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