Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I will do all I can to support alternative ways to sustain agriculture, which were discussed today. With regard to the reform of the CAP, we have changed to become very much focused on market, consumer and quality. That is how the agricultural sector will survive.

We must deal with issues such as substantial transformation, and I agree with Senator O'Toole's comments on this issue. I thank Senators for supporting within the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005 the need for labelling of country of origin. We must work on this framework, which is the vision for agriculture. I do not agree with the grim reaper reports for 2025. I agree with the report of the Agri Vision 2015 Committee, which was chaired by an eminent former Minister from Fine Gael. I will take on board many of its recommendations and work with them in the background on the reform of the CAP and the outcome of the WTO talks.

I take this opportunity to commend everybody involved in the single farm payment, including the farming organisations, Teagasc, my own Department and advisers who facilitated the 136,000 farmers in Ireland. Last Thursday, 85% of these farmers were given their payment. This figure has risen and some 113,000 of the 136,000 have now been given the payment. There was a telephone issue on Friday morning as there was a bug in the system. We were not sick but we had a problem.