Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the Members who have spoken to and supported the motion. I hope they have contributed to getting the message across to the Minister on the need for action and to follow through on the 14 policy proposals included in the motion. I again thank the ICSA, the Beef Plan movement, the IFA and, in particular, the tremendous delegation from around the country that travelled with them to be here. It is crucial that we see action from the Minister as a result of the motion. As Deputy O'Loughlin mentioned, in the past few years and under the Taoiseach and during the Minister's stewardship of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, we have seen a Government that has been out of touch with rural Ireland and the difficulties facing farmers. In fairness, when we passed the tillage and fodder motions in the Dáil, the Minister acted on them. I bet, however, that in those cases he had no choice but to do so. We have had other motions on which he has failed to follow through. In the beef sector, in particular, we need to see action on the part of the Minister and an understanding of the massive pressure farmers are under.

In his contribution the Minister outlined how the figure in respect of de minimispermissions in a state aid context had increased from €15,000 to €25,000 a few weeks ago. However, that is just in respect of permissions. The Government must recognise that Brexit is already happening and having an impact on the beef sector and the agrifood sector generally. That recognition must come in the form of real assistance and funding to help farmers in their time of real need. The Minister must use the permissions under state aid rules to come up with a proposal to facilitate and assist farmers in their time of need and address the pressures they have experienced in the past few months. He must provide clarity on the supports that will be available if there is a hard Brexit. Of course, our overriding objective must be to ensure we avoid that scenario. We must also see more action on the part of the Minister to assist the live export trade. Unfortunately, however, the ships have been sailing on this issue, but without the numbers of calves aboard that might have been the case had the Minister acted earlier. There is still capacity, even at this late stage, for the Minister to help to address that issue. It is a major failure of his that such help has not been provided. We also need to see a continued effort to ensure the CAP is prioritised and that funding will be maintained. It is a key Fianna Fáil policy that there should be a maximum payment of €60,000 in that regard. As we have outlined in the motion, it is essential to ensure there will be a €200 suckler cow contribution to underpin the suckler cow herd.

We are telling the Minister that the Government must wake up to the fact that the farming sector is under pressure. He must be clear and upfront on his proposals for the sector and deliver immediately to relieve some of the pressure farmers are under. He must ensure they will no longer be left to fend for themselves without the support the Government could provide if there was a willingness to provide it.

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