Seanad debates

Wednesday, 12 February 2003

Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion.

 

The inclusion of commonage in the determination of farm size may meet European demands, but it has a serious impact on stocking rates per acre for the purposes of various agricultural payments. That matter should be reviewed with a view to softening the blow. There are many other issues to which I would like to refer, if time permitted, and I wish they could be addressed one by one, with Members having an opportunity to express their views. It is not a matter of one Government being better than another. I believe all Ministers for Agriculture with whom I have dealt have been fully committed to their work. I consider that the former Deputy Ivan Yates did a superb job during his term as Minister. The current Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, is doing as good a job as he can. We should get our act together on both sides of the House, define the issues and put pressure on Government to deliver on them.

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