Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Deputy put forward a Bill and that she is focusing on the family farm model. However, the fact that the collaborative system we have developed over the past 20 years, starting with former Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Brendan Smith, and Food Harvest 2020, followed by the ten-year strategy under Food Wise 2025. The most recent ten-year strategy Food Vision 2030 brings everyone in the sector together to agree the way forward and ensure that the family farm is central to that sustainable food system. This is a very robust, comprehensive and unique way to plan our agricultural sector and protect the family farm into the future. It is quite unique internationally because it gets that buy-in across the various stakeholders. This is the way to go forward in terms of how we continue to develop the sector. While I welcome initiatives, suggestions and proposals, I am very committed to the current approach, ensuring we progress with that and having everyone involved with the family farm very much at the centre.

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