Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As we discuss this today, our farming sector is facing a number of challenges - farm enterprise viability, unfair trade, competition and demographic changes in the farming community. On farm viability, the latest data from Teagasc showed that just 27% of Irish farms were considered economically viable in 2023. This is a startling statistic and recent trends in input costs suggest that 2024 may not be any better. In this context, it is totally unacceptable that we have seen cases of serious delays in payments to farmers, especially within ACRES. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association, ICSA, estimated that earlier this year, more than 10,000 farmers were still waiting on payments from this scheme, some of whom were waiting on payments from 2023. Many of my constituents have been affected by this. Clearly, there has been poor administration of this scheme. The fact that delays of this length could be caused by an IT issue is not a satisfactory explanation. These delays have left farmers in the lurch, with many questioning whether it is even worth participating in these schemes. At a time when we need to be supporting farmers, the Government and the Department need to get their act together when it comes to schemes and payments.

With regards to CAP itself, we need an increased budget, less red tape and bureaucracy. The current funding for CAP accounts for approximately 30% of the EU budget compared to 73% in 1980. There must be an increased CAP budget that takes into account inflation over the last number of years. We need full convergence of entitlements with front-loaded payments so that CAP is fair to all farmers and that payments are fairly distributed to the enterprises that need them most, not just large enterprises that are often owned by people living abroad. We have seen large corporate entities drawing down obscene payments which demonstrates the inequality that exists in Irish agriculture. These payments should be redirected to the likes of our small suckler and sheep farmers who need assistance. It is crucially important that we support these sectors and these farmers. They spend their money locally and they are vital to the local economy in my constituency.

I mentioned the demographic challenge the farming community is facing. The next CAP must place a greater emphasis on generational renewal to show young farmers, men and women, that there is a future in farming.

Finally, I want to mention the Mercosur deal. While Irish farmers are complying with strict environmental regulation under CAP to produce the best quality of beef in the world, the EU is attempting to sign up to Mercosur to allow South American beef that is produced to an inferior standard on deforested lands into Ireland. This is hypocrisy of the highest order and the Irish Government needs to step up to the plate and do everything in its power to resist this deal.

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