Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this important issue. He touched on the heart of the challenge. It has been three really difficult years for the tillage sector, and for tillage farmers in particular, due to weather, prices and ongoing challenges. The tillage sector is an incredibly important component of the overall agricultural sector. Farmers are very dependent on one another. We are aware of that. Obviously, my budget negotiations are ongoing in terms of any financial aspects and my overall budget. Deputy Byrne touched on the processing element, in which there are opportunities we are exploring and want to see developed, for example, the opportunity in the use of native grains in our feed, the very positive impact that has on the carbon footprint for them and what that can mean for their customers, and the opportunity provided through native grain use in Irish whiskey and making sure that is fully exploited. These are all key points that can add value along the way. Yes, there is the short-term pressure on price right now for the sector, but the long-term sustainability of the tillage sector involves all those components coming together. That is something I am determined to continue working on with colleagues across Government.

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