Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)

The Minister is most welcome to the Chamber. I would like to speak on the upcoming budget in the context of the importance of keeping some of the agricultural tax reliefs currently in place and what they mean for rural Ireland. I want to speak in particular in the context of the fact that one in three farmers is now aged over 65 and, of the 50,000 farmers across the country, only one in 20 is aged under 35.

I am sharing time with Senator Eileen Lynch, with the agreement of the Cathaoirleach.