Francis O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Aylward, to the House and congratulate him on his appointment. Contrary to Senator Bannon's comments, I congratulate the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Joe Walsh, on his magnificent achievements despite all the difficulties of the past year, including the very bad weather of last summer. I congratulate the Minister on paying to farmers 80% of the direct payments, which they received after 16 October. This was wonderful. Every farmer was delighted to receive this welcome money. The direct payments of €1.4 billion per annum under the CAP are also welcome.

Prices, particularly beef prices, have fallen even further in the last two months. Farming is in decline but this is not the fault of the Government, which is fully committed to the development of agriculture. We must realise that major changes are taking place in agriculture and move forward with these changes. There is a decline in farming which cannot be helped. We are in competition with our European partners or comrades who produce pigmeat and chicken cheaper than we can. This is the reality and we cannot do much about it.

I would like to see many more people involved in farming. I ask the Minister of State to do everything in his power to encourage as many young people as possible to take up farming. If they do not, there will be a serious situation in ten or twenty years' time.