Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know it is not the Minister of State’s Department and I appreciate the fact that there is grant aid being provided. However, I would like to see a greater variety of grant aid. Supports need to be put in place. The Minister of State spoke of the 2030 food strategy group that has been set up. Ireland is at a crisis in terms of our grain and feed suppliers. Farmers have been encouraged to actually plant grain, which is a thing they have not done in many years, certainly in large quantities. I would like to see supports being mentioned around that whole area because there will be a shortage to do with the food supply chain and it is a key area that needs to be looked at. Perhaps the Minister of State can bring that back as well because these are very important things.

There is a fear factor with the farmers. I understand that Teagasc is doing a great job and everything and the grant of €147 million provided in 2021 is to be welcomed, and I am sure there will be an even greater fund in 2022 with all that farmers are going through, but there probably needs to be more co-operation and reaching out to farmers of all sizes, from the small to larger farmers. While they want to work with us, the Minister of State and the Department, there is a fear factor. We need to allay those fears because they are part of our culture.