Peter Callanan (Fianna Fail)

I have not read out much of it yet and somebody will give out to me today.

The arrangements made are good. Let us accept them, move forward together in promoting agriculture as a sustainable way of life, cut out the negativity and state clearly that there is room in agriculture for production.

Agriculture is a tough way of life. I am older than Senator John Paul Phelan, probably the oldest swinger in town, and having been involved in agriculture all my life, I have seen many tough decades. Farming to the calendar never works, as we in Cork and the Minister of State's constituents in Kilkenny know. Practical solutions are required and the Minister and his Department are doing their damnedest to find them.

Perhaps it is time control of this section was transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Food because it would have a more enlightened approach. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has a role to play in this regard, but Agriculture House has broad experience and knowledge available to it. It has the capacity to manage well and has proved it beyond a shadow of doubt.

I wish the Minister of State well on 11 June. Senator Phelan should have a word with Green Party colleagues whom his party is courting to get them to see sense. He should show them the road ahead, if he knows what it is.