Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister is aware my colleagues, Deputies Kerrane and Carthy, put forward a proposal earlier this year with regard to having a commission on the future of the family farm. It is about more than generational renewal. In our view, what needs to happen is we need to look at the family farm in the whole to see what the future of it will be. That is for the suckler, sheep, pig and every sector. Where will they be in the future? What evidence is there, if you sit with a young person in their early 20s today, that there will be a future in ten, 15 or 20 years for them and their family? That needs to be at the core of whatever is done. That is why we felt it was about the future of the family farm and making the family farm a sustainable model as we move forward. In many cases a lot of young people do not see that future. They see it as a part-time occupation. A lot of people, particularly with the smaller holdings, need to have enough farm income. That is all fine, but often the family farm is being left behind and will fall into absolute neglect. We see the income coming from farming has gone down and down in the past. Key to it is the price farmers get for their produce and the schemes rolled out by Government to ensure they are effective and provide for farming.

See this speech in context