Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)

Last night, I met with representatives of Wexford IFA. I was particularly struck by their words about the tillage sector, which in my rural county of Wexford delivers so much income and employment. One of the issues they highlighted is the unsustainable prices that are currently being achieved in the tillage sector. They described how this is the worst year for tillage in a generation. I support their call for a €250 per hectare income delivery by the Minister for agriculture as part of the upcoming budget. The reality is that across the country almost 40% of our farmers are now over 65, with less than 7% being under 35. If young people do not see farming, including tillage farming, as a sustainable way of earning a living and bringing up a family, there simply will not be a tillage sector. If we look across the country at what is happening at the moment, there are no farmers and no food. I urge the Minister for agriculture to support the IFA's call and deliver the €250 incentive for the tillage sector in the budget.