Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

However, I do believe that what is being mentioned in these amendments is already covered in the legislation. The legislation covers meat processors and the sale of livestock, and it covers much more broadly than that as well. These amendments are not necessary because the provisions are already contained in the legislation. There were several months of hard work, consultation and cross-party engagement at the agriculture committee. I really must recognise the work of the agriculture committee in putting that report together, and I have encompassed as much of it as I possibly can.

Many Deputies will have referred to the importance of Government backing farm families. That is certainly what we are doing. Everything I and the Ministers of State, Deputy Heydon and Senator Hackett, do is about working together to improve farm incomes and improve the lot of farmers. We want to improve the lot of farm families in terms of the policies and schemes we put in place, which we are massively backing through the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. We also seek to improve in any way we can the lot of farmers in terms of the price they are getting by having as much transparency as possible in the food supply chain. That is why we are bringing forward this legislation, which is historic in its objective and rationale. We are looking forward to having the office of the food regulator up and running with the staff in place and with this legislation passed. We are seeking to future-proof the Bill by giving significant powers for regulation subsequently so that, if necessary and as we learn, we can also provide through statutory instrument the necessary capacity to make sure this office works in the way we want.

I believe these amendments are fully covered already in the comprehensive legislation that is in place, having come through Committee Stage and earlier Stages. We are already there in respect of them. Many Deputies referred to Macra na Feirme today. I, along with the Ministers of State, Deputy Heydon and Senator Hackett, and the Taoiseach, met its representatives. It was a very good, constructive meeting. Our objective is to back young farmers in every way we can. In the CAP programme introduced in recent months, we have increased by 50% the payments in Pillar 1 to young farmers and, with national funding, have increased by 50% the payments for all of the schemes in Pillar 2. For example, in Pillar 1, in the outgoing programme, the young farmer top-up amounted to just over €70 per hectare additional in terms of entitlement value. In the new CAP, it is €170 per hectare increase per entitlement. That is what the Government is doing to deliver for young farmers. That is the significant impact we are making. That is what we are about. A key part of that is this legislation, which is very comprehensive and will achieve the objective we are aiming for.

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