Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is most welcome to the Seanad Chamber today. I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on behalf of some Wexford farmers on some of the issues they have highlighted to me over the past couple of weeks.I congratulate the Minister on his appointment. Having somebody who is involved in the day-to-day of farming and who comes with the experience of having been the junior Minister in the Department during the previous term is to be welcomed. I look forward to working with him.

I raise the issue of ACRES payments. I welcome the Minster's recent comments that he is committed to modernising the IT systems that have, unfortunately, let us down badly in the past. There are approximately 10,400 farmers awaiting payment at the moment and many of them are in my area of Wexford. I appeal to the Minister to get involved directly and to prioritise ensuring that we can have confidence that the farmers who applied for this payment over two years ago will be paid. I welcome the commitment from the Minister that this is a priority for him and the Department. I hope this situation will not be repeated in the coming term.

I will speak about farm succession. I am 33 years of age. My father and uncle both farm. I have two brothers but none of us are involved in the day-to-day work as full-time farmers. In December 2024, the CSO stated that approximately one in every three farmers is aged over 65, which is a total of approximately 50,000 farmers. One in 20 farmers is now aged under 35, which is a total of 6,000 farmers. The average age of farmers at the moment, according to the CSO, is 59 years old. Farming will not be possible in Ireland unless we have the farmers to do it. I urge the Minister to address the issue and take it seriously. I ask him to look at the reality of the situation at the moment. Farmers have expressed to me the guilt they have. Having farmed land that has been in their family for generations, they do not know if the next generation will be in a position to take up farming. If the farm is not profitable, nobody will be willing be take it on. I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to consider this issue in detail and to preserve the tax reliefs that currently exist. I encourage the Minister to examine the prospect of greater incentives for farm succession planning. The relevant Department in the UK has undertaken a roadshow. Its representatives have gone out to farmers in the marts and communities and have made professional advice, including accountancy and legal advice, available to farmers to at least allow for a conversation about what is going to happen next. The latest information is that 40% of farmers do not have a will, which also needs to be looked at again, particularly when we consider that one in three farmers is aged over 65.

On the nitrates derogation, I welcome the fact that the Cabinet subcommittee on water quality will soon be operational. This is a big issue for farmers in Wexford , and I very much welcome the clarity that the Minister has given by making it a priority that Ireland retains its derogation in the next round of negotiations. I want to work in a big way with the Minister on that issue.

On the protein aid scheme, I wish to speak for a moment specifically about beans. At the moment, the protein aid scheme has a value of approximately €10 million. Of all the applicants for that scheme last year, 20% were from my area of Wexford. This is a big issue in Wexford. Beans are a nitrogen-fixing crop and the latest information from the EU shows that this is a mechanism to help address our climate emission goals. We know that the tillage sector is one of the most environmentally sustainable and carbon efficient sectors. I urge the Minister in the next round of CAP negotiations to prioritise the protein aid scheme and ensure that it is continued into the future.

I congratulate the chair of the Wexford IFA, Mr. Jer O'Mahony, who has stepped down after a successful term in office. I look forward to working with his successor, Mr. Tom Doyle, and the new officer board in the Wexford IFA, and with the Minister.