Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the important issue of agriculture. This week, there has been much discussion of the environment, with the ongoing conference in Glasgow discussing how we will save the world from itself and from us. I also understand the climate action plan will be launched today. The KPMG economic impact analysis carried out on behalf of the Irish Farmers Journalpoints to a frightening scenario for farming in this country as a result of proposals to reduce carbon emissions for the farming sector. Small family farms of 50 acres or less will probably face the greatest burden arising from the new farming methods that will be brought in to try to deal with carbon emissions.

The CAP proposals put forward by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine are creating a sense that CAP funding, which has been used historically to provide family income support, will be used to provide for environmental schemes. The farming community is concerned that this will be done without first considering that income has to be protected before we look at how to provide investment upfront to ensure small family farms survive. The programme for Government proposes that additional funding be made available beyond the CAP to help farmers to meet these challenges. It is important that the Minister understand that farmers in my area, including small suckler farmers, beef cattle finishers, sheep farmers and tillage farmers, all of whom depend heavily on direct payments for their incomes, are worried that they will not get the same level of support they got in the past. They are also worried that they will have to invest more in their farms to bring them to a point where they reduce carbon emissions.

Farmers want to participate in this and ensure we have a better environment. Over the years, they have shown themselves to be good custodians of the environment. Ireland ranks first and fifth, respectively, in Europe for dairy and beef production. We are at a crossroads worldwide in an environmental sense but we are also putting agriculture at a crossroads. I ask the Minister to outline how we will ensure that the proper turn is taken at that crossroads.

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