Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has identified the two key aspects in terms of economic viability for farming. Those are price and the economic schemes and supports we have in place to support food production and farmers' work at farm level. On price, 90% of our food is exported so it is dependent on the prices available internationally. However, the significant step I took as Minister was introducing the agrifood regulator with the objective of having a statutory independent agency to bring about as much transparency in the food supply chain as possible in how you trace back the prices available on the international markets we sell to, to the price that the farmer gets at the farm gate. That is the key job of work.

I turn to schemes. From a Government point of view, we have significantly increased, by 50%, the funding for all schemes because we want to make it worthwhile for all farmers. We particularly want to make sure it is worthwhile for young farmers. We have put significant additional funding into that. However, we have to look at how we can take that forward. That is why I am establishing the commission. I am open to ideas as to how that is structured in a way that will be most impactful and I will certainly be engaging to bring everybody's ideas into that to make sure it informs the final report. Bringing young people in and the family farm, which is the structure we want to maintain in this country, are dependent on bringing that next generation of family farmer through. That has been and will have to be my key focus, and that of our sector going forward.

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