Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

The incomes of many Irish households in economically sensitive areas will be so small that they will be unable to exist on their farming incomes as they have done before. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Agriculture and Food to come to the House to debate the matter. The Minister will be representing Ireland during the summer recess and it is important that she takes the issue seriously. I use the word "seriously" advisedly because she must have a commitment to the retention of maximum number of families in Irish agriculture.

If the scenario envisaged in the Teagasc report is allowed to take place, there will be a serious decline in farming in this country. We have just spoken about An Taisce, which will obviously have a role if this decline is allowed to continue. I ask the Leader to bring it to the Minister's attention that she must resist any further decline and the impact of the latest WTO trade agreement on Irish agriculture.