Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On my behalf and that the Regional Group of Members, I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Chambers and Fleming. I know all three would not like being appointed in the manner they have been appointed but I congratulate them nonetheless. I particularly congratulate the Minister, Deputy Calleary, on his accession to a full seat at the Cabinet table. Very few people have secured the opportunity to sit around the Cabinet table and it is a great honour and a huge responsibility, particularly at a time when huge change is needed. The Minister will get the good wishes of every Member of this House. I have enjoyed working with the Minister over the past few weeks in facilitating the heavy legislative workload that is going through the House at the moment. The skill set he has developed since his election to Dáil Éireann in terms of working with people will be a vital tool for him working in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, both in Ireland and the Council of Ministers level, where he will really have to roll up his sleeves. It is a huge honour for the Minister and for his family, who know the ebbs and flows of politics, and I think of them as well today.

I know he will do a good job for his country, his county and his party in his role in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There are huge challenges there at the moment, particularly in relation to the viability of family farms, particularly in the suckler sector, which the Minister will know well. There is a need to protect the overall Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, vote at European and domestic levels and to ensure the new environmental schemes that are introduced are farmer focused and farmer friendly. We have indications from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that we will see a new farm retirement scheme and that would be warmly welcomed because of the age profile in agriculture, particularly within the beef sector. It is not a good age profile to drive the type of change that is needed to sustain the viability of many family firms across this country.

I congratulate the new Minister and wish him the best of luck. If I could give him one piece of advice, it would be to take on board the suggestions from the Opposition side of the House. I know he will take those on board because it should not be about Government and Opposition. It should be about Parliament inputting in a constructive way to come forward with practical and implementable solutions for the challenges we now face in an economy and society post Covid-19.

I was shocked and saddened to hear the news last night that my neighbour, Deputy Cowen, had been sacked by An Taoiseach. This is not an easy time for Deputy Cowen or his family. He is in a very lonely place at this point. I have known him since he entered Dáil Éireann and I have worked with him and his brother. At a time when just transition is a key term across the midlands, it was reassuring to know that we had someone at the Cabinet table who knew the issues and challenges facing our communities as a result of the wind down of Bord na Móna. I know Deputy Cowen will continue to work hard for his constituents in Laois and Offaly and keep a close eye, along with myself, on the plans for just transition across the midland counties. I wish Deputy Cowen and the Ministers, Deputies Calleary, Chambers and Fleming, very well in the future.

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