Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We all have the same objective, namely, to ensure that in the future farmers can continue to farm in a sustainable way that they know best on the peaty soil of these lands. Some of this is in the lowlands and there is a fair amount of it in places such as Connemara. Having sat down with the Minister today and considering the complexity involved with the different institutions, he is following a very clear path to ensure the objective of having farming continue in these areas. I accept that there are people outside of government, such as in the NGOs, who have a different vision for these lands but the Minister is not one of them. Deputies on all sides of this debate want to ensure a good CAP. I respect the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, INHFA, which has raised this issue. I am delighted it is being debated today because it is not often that the poorer farmers get their day in the sun in Dáil Éireann. We need to work together, keep talking and negotiating and present a common front in Europe. Our MEPs and the Government need to build a common front to ensure the interests of small farmers are protected and people can continue to farm these lands in a sustainable, as they have done for generations.

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