83. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on CAP negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20854/26]
Sentiment score: 0.01
The previous question dealt with the CAP budget to some extent. A number of issues are very concerning for Irish farmers. Obviously, the budget being reduced is the big one. That is a serious problem because we need to see a decent budget in place for CAP to maintain productivity and to ensure we protect the family farm. The Minister mentioned generational renewal in a previous reply. There is talk farmers who are pensioners would not get any payments. That is a serious fear that farmers have. In previous generational renewal schemes, a lot of farmers found there was almost an exclusion order against them that they could not go near the farm anymore. That puts them off the possibility of entering into a scheme for generational renewal. There is a range of issues there on which I would like to get the Minister's position, including how strong we need to be as a State, particularly when we have the Presidency, to ensure we get a proper deal for Irish farmers.
Sentiment score: 0.04
I thank the Minister. I appreciate we are at an early stage in negotiations and they have to take a route through all of this. The budget, as I said at the outset, is the key and what most farmers are concerned about, in that we see the budget being eroded. In every CAP negotiation for the past number of decades, we have seen that happen and that needs to be very firmly fought against to ensure we keep the budget in place so farmers can have reliability into the future. That is one of the big things for a lot of people. We talk about generational renewal but when people go into farming, they want to see a future in it. Part of that future is that they have to have a reliable and stable future and they know payments are going to be available to them. On generational renewal, the Minister mentioned how we determine what is a farmer. What is a full-time farmer? What is the farm family? How is that put in place? I was concerned to see the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, in the changes to the forestry programme, suggested that for people to get the forestry grants, they would only need to have one year of payments. That is opening the door for corporates, companies and all kinds of people to be allowed to buy land up and to compete with other farmers.
Sentiment score: 0.11
That is a very retrograde step and I would caution against that type of move.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Then explain it to me.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I accept that there is a proposed increase in the budget for generational renewal. The issue for many farmers is that, when programmes were put in place for them in the past, such as schemes to pension them off, these included an exclusion order. They could no longer have anything to do with the farm. They were out of it altogether and had to stay clear of it. That was a very bad proposal to put forward because the vast majority of these people, whether they are in their 60s, 70s or 80s, have farmed all their lives. They want to continue doing it until their last breath. They want to go out and feel they are an integral part of it. It is important that can be accommodated in any scheme that is brought forward. The bigger issue is how to get young people into farming and how to get them to make that decision to have a future in Irish agriculture. To do that, it must be profitable and vibrant. They must see it has a future and that it will be good for them in the long term and not just for the next year or two. It is very important that we get that part of it right. Again, the big part of this issue goes back to the budget. The Minister has not really dealt with that. What pressure is the Irish Government going to put on to ensure we maximise the budget for farmers in respect of all of this?
Sentiment score: 0.14
Deputy Healy-Rae supported our motion in 2019.
Sentiment score: 0.32
I support Deputy Stanley on this issue. It is obviously something that has taken up a huge amount of time and energy for everyone involved. It is positive we are at a stage where there is at least the bones of a resolution in place. The key issue is that people who are involved in State boards have a responsibility to adhere to the codes of conduct or practice that are in place. The review of all this will be short, hopefully. I welcome the Minister saying it would be concluded at the end of April. That would be ambitious. Farmers need reassurance that they will get additional and robust representation on any new board that is proposed, because that is one of the big issues. Without farmers, there would be no Bord Bia and no food to market anywhere. They see themselves as being very small players in all of this, however. Anything that can be done to ensure that farmers have a greater role to play would be very positive.
Sentiment score: 0.34