Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, who was in the Chamber earlier, well in his food and horticulture portfolio, as the spokesperson on this side of the House for this area. I note his announcement last week of a renewed grant of €3.8 million for the horticulture sector. He is following in the direction of the good work of his predecessor, the former Minister of State, Deputy Sargent. I welcome our colleague and friend the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran.

I listened to most of the debate on the monitor and it has been interesting and wide-ranging with many useful and constructive comments having been made by Members on all sides of the House. I welcome in particular the positive support of the main Opposition parties for the Minister of State and the Government on what they have called a green jersey issue, which it is. It is an important issue for the nation that the CAP post 2013 will be as user friendly and as pro-Ireland as was the last one. That will only be achieved with a hard fight and, therefore, a united front is most important and greatly appreciated.

I acknowledge the good work of Bord Bia and the other agri agencies in promoting the image of Irish food abroad. As has been said on several occasions, we are an outstanding producer of a first-rate product and are entitled to and fully deserving of all the supports we have received from the EU over the years.

The debate took a scenic route for a while. I listened to the contribution of my colleague, Senator O'Toole, who raised the interesting issue of whether we in Ireland too slavishly follow the EU regulation to the letter of the law in terms of how we present our food. He instanced how the French display fruit and vegetables of various sizes, while we want them all to be uniform in size. Some of the joy in food production is lost when there is too much regulation. In that respect, the continued development of the farm market and country market sector must be supported and applauded. It is a growth area, whether it be a weekly farm market in a small provincial town such as one from which I come or the regular markets in Temple Bar and other parts of this city. They are wonderful and they sell Irish products in the main. They provide fresh produce for housewives. I wish the same could be said for fish produce. We have an abundance of fish but fish produce does not seem to percolate on to the tables of householders. The suppliers always seem to have run out of fish. At least, that is the complaint I hear from my wife, although perhaps she does not get up early enough in the morning. That is an area that could also be examined.

Senator O'Toole also referred to Brazilian beef. Members will be aware that talks on a Brazilian beef quota are currently taking place. I have never been anti any country. I have nothing against Brazilian beef or the Brazilians so long as they play on the same level pitch as us. Irish farmers adhere rigorously to regulation in respect of hormones and so on. One would have to be totally satisfied the same standards were being met in South America before agreeing to allow entry to that competitive element. If they do not meet the same standards expected of Irish farmers, they should not be allowed in. I am sure the Department will be vigilant in this regard.

Reference was made earlier to our anomalous situation in terms of our grant aiding and supporting inactivity. We are in many instances paying people not to produce, which is a matter of concern given half the population of the world is starving. I am sure this will be an issue that will inform the debate on CAP and which we might have to fight hard to counteract. I do not believe the Minister's job is easy.

Since its inception, CAP has guaranteed Europe's essential food supply. Ireland, as a leading supplier of high quality food, has most to gain from EU support for the agri-sector. We are the supplier and we must be supported. Our entire farming activity is predicated on continual support from Europe. While change is not unwelcome, it must take cognisance of the fact that Ireland is a supplier to the bread basket of Europe and the world. It was recently leaked from a draft European document that Europe is stiffening up for serious change in regard to the administration of CAP and how grants will be computed in future. The Minister is rightly alert to this and has already consulted widely in this regard with people in the farming sector. I am aware also that the new consultative committee on CAP will meet next week for the first time. The Minister has been proactive, on which I commend him.

The expression "green jersey" was mentioned earlier by Senator Bradford. We will have to get behind the Minister and work as a team on this. I know that the farming organisations, the IFA and ICMSA are anxious for the Minister to succeed. It is important we speak with one voice and that there is no fragmentation in this regard. There is nothing worse than reading of the difficulties being experienced in the small hours of the morning by the Irish negotiating teams in Brussels. This is too important for that. The Minister is leading the national effort and it is important he receives our full support.

The new member states want a new deal and for grants to be readjusted in their favour. There is no denying the have a case. However, we will be the net losers of any gains made by these member states. We are heavily dependent on agriculture and have given much in terms of food production. We would be serious losers should there be a major realignment by 2013. We are in the dark in terms of the proposals being made. The tom-toms are beating. People want to move away from the historic 2002 criteria and introduce a new system that will have a flattening-out effect. As the Minister said in his speech, this might not affect the dairy sector but it would have serious repercussions for beef and other commodities vis-À-vis the west and the east. Whereas the new member states have a right to seek readjustments, this cannot be done in a vacuum. We cannot afford to be net losers of CAP unless there is a complete reappraisal of EU aid for all countries on all programmes. If Ireland is to be the fall guy in terms of CAP, it can then make a case for a total realignment of Structural and Cohesion Funding, peripherality compensation and so on. One cannot consider only one issue in respect of which Ireland would be seen as gaining. We cannot consider CAP on its own but must examine the totality of European funding and support.

There has been criticism of the fact that we are basing our claims on 2002-2003, which is the only criterion related to activity. Farmers are rightly insisting that EU grants and support be targeted at active farmers. An issue brought to my attention during my preparation for this debate is that people active in farming, as opposed to conglomerates, are the ones who should receive supports. I do not wish to repeat what has already been said by other speakers. Ireland is proud of what it has given to Europe in terms of a high quality product, modern technology, progressive farm methods and sheer hard work. No one in the world works harder than the Irish farmer. If the EU were to introduce new systems that would in any way jeopardise Ireland's output, quality and tradition of feeding Europe, it would be doing a disservice to Ireland, itself and the world at a time when starvation is a reality for millions of our fellow citizens. I wish the Minister well.