James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill. It is at times like this we must recognise that we have to do things differently and act responsibly and urgently to address the severe challenges our economy faces in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the right time for the State to play a key role in our economy and to work side-by-side with businesses to get through this crisis. That is why I welcome the decision of the European Commission to introduce the temporary framework for state aid which is the basis of the Bill.

The Bill has much potential and I would like to use my time to speak on implementation. Big ideas need action and successful implementation. I would like to speak about the proposed amendment to section 3 of the 2012 Act which extends the scope of the credit guarantee scheme to primary agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture producers and the implementation of the scheme through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI. On the inclusion of agriculture, I do not have to stand here and debate the importance of the agricultural sector to the Irish economy. My constituency includes towns such as Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Mallow and I have a background in agriculture. My region is very reliant on the agri-food sector. I was pleased to note the inclusion of agriculture in the temporary framework for state aid.

In recent weeks, the House gave the agriculture sector a much-needed boost by extending the future growth loan scheme. This will help to future-proof Irish agriculture and to make sure it is as cutting edge as possible, as well as allowing it to continue to be a world leader in high-quality produce and research.

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