Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We should support the Irish Farmers' Journalin its campaign to promote the suckler herd in Ireland. It is a major story online. We should do so whether we are based in urban or rural areas as farming knows no divide or boundaries. The save our sucklers campaign is being co-ordinated by the Irish Farmers' Journaland is supported by the IFA. As part of this campaign, it has issued a letter to EU Commissioners Phil Hogan and Cecilia Malmström, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed. I thank the Minister, Deputy Creed, for coming to the House recently and giving us a comprehensive and detailed account of his stewardship in agriculture, although time did not permit him to cover all areas. I acknowledge that he came to the House and I thank the Leader for organising the debate.

Time and again, it has been said that farming is the backbone of rural Ireland, and I agree. Whether people live in urban or rural areas, our economy relies on agriculture. It is important that people support the suckler farming sector and this campaign, acknowledging how the trade feeds into and sustains rural communities. People can go online and see the campaign for themselves but I will share four key messages that I have take from my engagement with this campaign.

First, the campaign seeks a fully funded Common Agricultural Policy. Second, it calls for EU protection of the Irish suckler herd because of the quality and supremacy of Irish beef and the need to protect the Irish beef trade and the local and international economy associated with it. The third point is the need to safeguard farm income. That is particularly important when we talk about sustainability and rural communities. Finally, it calls for a payment for suckler cows. A sum of €200 has been suggested. That is a matter for the Minister and the lobbyists to pursue. I ask my colleagues here to engage with their communities, whether rural or urban, and to look at the Irish Farmers' Journal online and read for themselves the importance of this national campaign. I also remind my colleagues and ask them to spread the word in their own communities about the four public consultation meetings on reform of CAP 2020. Those meeting were announced on Friday. They will be announced in the public press if they have not already been. There will be a series of meetings and the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, is taking most of them. He will be touring around the country explaining it to people and listening and engaging with farmers on their input on CAP 2020.