I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann declines to give the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024 a second reading, on the basis that: — its objectives are already being comprehensively addressed through existing policy frameworks, in particular Food Vision 2030, the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, and the ongoing work arising from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming; — the family farm model is central to Ireland's agri-food sector and rural economy, and supporting its viability, sustainability and continuity has been a consistent priority of Government policy, reflected most clearly in Food Vision 2030, Ireland's stakeholder-led strategy for the agri-food sector; — issues such as generational renewal, succession planning, gender balance, farm incomes, diversification, farmers' position in the value chain and climate action are key issues for the sector and are already central pillars of Food Vision 2030, and these issues are being actively progressed through the existing structures and funded policy instruments; — Food Vision 2030 provides a long term, integrated and non-statutory framework, addressing the economic, environmental and social sustainability of farming, including the future of family farms, and the distinct advantage of Food Vision 2030 is that it was developed by the sector, for the sector, through extensive stakeholder engagement and continues to be implemented collaboratively, and it is underpinned by a robust governance, monitoring and reporting structure through a High Level Implementation Committee chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; — a mid-term review of Food Vision 2030 is currently underway, to ensure continued relevance and responsiveness, and this review, which will include full public and stakeholder consultation, will ensure that it remains ambitious, focused, and responsive to evolving challenges and opportunities; and — the agri-food sector has experienced significant policy change in recent years, and Food Vision 2030 provides a stable, agreed framework, with the non-statutory nature of Food Vision 2030 allowing Government to adapt policy responses more efficiently, including through the current mid-term review.". I commend Deputy Kenny on the intent of the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024, as the majority of issues raised are a priority for Government. However, its primary objectives are already being comprehensively addressed through existing policy frameworks, in particular Food Vision 2030, the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and the ongoing work arising from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming. For that reason, the Government has proposed a reasoned amendment to decline to give a Second Reading to the Bill. The family farm model is central to Ireland's agrifood sector and rural economy. Supporting its viability, sustainability and continuity has been a consistent priority of Government policy, reflected most clearly in Food Vision 2030, Ireland's stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector. Issues such as generational renewal, farm incomes, farmers' position in the value chain, diversification, gender balance and climate action are key for the sector and are central pillars of Food Vision 2030. These issues are being actively progressed through the existing structures and funded policy instruments. Food Vision is grounded in a food systems approach, recognising that agriculture, food, the environment, climate, health, trade and rural development are interconnected, with a clear ambition for Ireland to continue to be a world leader in sustainable food systems. The stakeholder committee which developed Food Vision 2030 included relevant stakeholders from across the sector including the presidents of the farming organisations. Food Vision 2030 sets out 22 goals and 218 actions, grouped under four high-level missions and encompassing environmental, economic and social sustainability. These missions address precisely the issues that matter most to family farms today. Mission 1 is "A Climate Smart, Environmentally Sustainable Agri-Food Sector"; mission 2 is "Viable and Resilient Primary Producers, with Enhanced Wellbeing"; mission 3 is "Food that is Safe, Nutritious and Appealing, Trusted and Valued at Home and Abroad"; and mission 4 is "An Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Agri-Food Sector, Driven by Technology and Talent". Mission 2, in particular, places primary producers, our farmers, fishers and foresters at the centre of the strategy with a strong focus on economic viability, resilience, diversification, generational renewal and well-being. A high-level implementation committee, which is chaired by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon, monitors delivery. Annual reports track progress and a new public dashboard provides transparency on environmental, economic and social indicators. The third annual report, published last year, showed that 79% of actions either have been completed or have had substantial action undertaken with the remaining actions under way. That is tangible, measurable progress. As we move into the second half of this decade, we have initiated a mid-term review of Food Vision 2030. This review is not about replacing the strategy. It is about ensuring that it remains ambitious, focused and responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. This review will involve comprehensive stakeholder consultation because Food Vision 2030 is, and must remain, stakeholder-led. Therefore, when we speak about the future of the family farm, we are not starting from scratch. We are building on an agreed national framework that already encompasses generational renewal, fair returns, diversification, gender equality, climate action and innovation. Food Vision 2030 provides a long-term integrated framework that addresses the economic, environmental and social sustainability of farming, including the future of family farms. The distinct advantage of Food Vision 2030 is that it was developed by the sector for the sector. Food Vision 2030 was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement and continues to be implemented collaboratively. The agrifood sector has experienced significant policy change in recent years. Food Vision 2030 provides a stable, agreed framework. The non-statutory nature of Food Vision 2030 allows the Government to adapt policy responses more efficiently, including through the current mid-term review. On incomes more broadly, Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 represents an investment of €9.8 billion over five years, which is the highest funded programme to date. Approximately 60% of that funding is directed towards income support through direct payments and support for areas of natural constraint. Additional funding supports environmental schemes such as ACRES, capital investment through TAMS and targeted sectoral schemes. These supports are not abstract figures; they are critical to sustaining family arms across the country, particularly in more marginal areas. The negotiation of a robust and adequately funded CAP for the period post 2027 is a priority for the Government. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, will be in Brussels again next Monday discussing these issues at the AGRIFISH Council and progressing negotiations on the next CAP will be a priority for the Minister during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in the second half of this year. Generational renewal is one of the most pressing challenges facing the sector. The demographic reality is clear. Only 4% of Irish farmers are under 35 years of age, while 37% are over 65. This is not unique to Ireland and reflects a wider EU trend. However, it is a challenge we must address with urgency and with practical measures. The programme for Government prioritises intergenerational farm succession. Food Vision 2030 recognises that generational renewal is critical to the long-term social and economic sustainability of rural Ireland. To inform policy, we established the independent Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming. It conducted a comprehensive analysis and made 31 recommendations spanning CAP supports, pensions, taxation, access to land and finance, advisory services, education, training, collaborative arrangements, gender balance and the overall attractiveness of the sector. An implementation group within my Department is progressing these recommendations. Some require action in the context of the next CAP. Others have already been acted upon. For example, in budget 2026, we extended the 100% stamp duty relief for young trained farmers to provide greater certainty, and agricultural relief has been retained to facilitate intergenerational transfer. These measures were worth approximately €325 million to farm families in 2024. At EU level, a new strategy for generational renewal in agriculture will inform the next CAP, thereby ensuring that young farmers remain central to future funding frameworks. Generational renewal is not simply about financial supports. It is about making farming an attractive, viable and respected career choice. That means addressing income stability, work-life balance, access to land, access to training and pathways into ownership and collaboration. As noted by the commission, this is an issue for all of the agrifood stakeholders to address to support the environmental, social and economic sustainability of farming and to enhance its image as a career. Income supports alone are not sufficient. Farmers must also occupy an appropriate position in the value chain. Under Food Vision 2030, we have taken steps to strengthen transparency and fairness in the supply chain, including the establishment of the Agri-Food Regulator and actions to enhance value creation and consumer trust. Diversification is another key theme. Food Vision 2030 encourages diversification into organic production, forestry, bioeconomy opportunities, renewable energy, horticulture, tillage expansion and mixed farming systems. We have launched a €1.3 billion forestry programme, a national organic strategy, a national biomethane strategy and sectoral reports from the dairy, beef, sheep and tillage groups to ensure sustainable pathways for each sector. Climate action, of course, is central to this discussion. Agriculture has a critical role to play in meeting national climate targets. Food Vision 2030’s first mission is explicitly focused on progressing a climate-smart, environmentally sustainable agrifood sector with climate neutrality by 2050 and verifiable progress by 2030. Significant progress on climate action has been made through investment and application of research such as, for example, using genomic data to breed more efficient, lower methane cattle; promoting the use of protected urea, which has a much lower emissions profile; and helping farmers to reduce fertiliser usage by promoting the use of clover and multispecies swards. These are not imposed solutions but were developed collaboratively by the sector. It is important to emphasise fairness. Farmers must be supported to contribute to climate objectives in a practical and economically viable manner. That is the guiding principle of our approach. Let me also address gender equality, an area where real progress is being made but where more remains to be done. Women play an essential role in agriculture and agribusiness, yet continue to face barriers in land access, finance, training and decision-making. Gender equality is embedded in Food Vision 2030 and in our CAP strategic plan. Following the national dialogue on women in agriculture, we launched a 12-point national action plan in 2024 addressing leadership, visibility, education, financial and legal matters and sustainability. Implementation is progressing under a dedicated working group. In addition, 2026 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, highlighting the essential roles women play across agrifood systems. Ireland co-sponsored the launch at FAO headquarters, reflecting our national commitment in this area. Strengthening the role of women in agriculture is not a side issue; it is central to generational renewal, innovation and community sustainability. In relation to the proposed Bill to establish a statutory commission on the future of the family farm, it is clear that its primary objectives are already being comprehensively addressed through existing policy frameworks, in particular Food Vision 2030, the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and the ongoing work arising from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming. While Deputy Kenny rightly highlighted these issues, the establishment of a commission would represent a duplication of existing work that is well under way. Our priority must be implementation, delivering on the commitments already agreed, refining them through the mid-term review and preparing for the post-2027 CAP period. The agrifood sector has shown remarkable resilience in recent years through Brexit, Covid-19, market volatility and climate pressures. What it needs now is policy certainty, continued investment and collaborative problem-solving. The future of the family farm in Ireland is at the very centre of Government policy. Through Food Vision 2030, our CAP strategic plan, the commission on generational renewal and its implementation, targeted taxation measures and a clear commitment to sustainability and equality, we have a coherent and comprehensive framework in place. Our task now is to continue delivering, ensuring that farming remains viable, attractive and sustainable, that young people see a future in the sector, that women are fully recognised and supported, that farmers receive fair returns and that Ireland leads globally in sustainable food systems. lf we remain focused, collaborative and ambitious, I am confident that the family farm model will not only endure but that it will also thrive.

Sentiment score: 0.34

I will return to where we began, the central importance of the family farm to Ireland's identity, economy and communities. The family farm is more than a production unit; it is a multigenerational enterprise. It is a steward of land and landscape. It is a pillar of rural towns and villages. In addition, it is foundational to our global reputation as a trusted producer of high-quality, sustainable food. Nevertheless, we also know that the model faces real pressures, demographic change, income volatility, climate obligations, market concentration and changing societal expectations. Acknowledging these pressures honestly is not a sign of weakness; it is a prerequisite for effective policy. What gives me confidence is that we are not approaching these challenges without a plan. Through Food Vision 2030, we have a clear, stakeholder-led roadmap for the sector. It is comprehensive and measurable, and it is being implemented. It places viable and resilient primary producers at the centre of policy. In addition, it is under active review to ensure that it remains relevant and ambitious as circumstances evolve. Through our CAP strategic plan, we are investing €9.8 billion over five years, with the majority of that funding directly supporting farm incomes and environmental delivery. This is a tangible demonstration of the Government's commitment to the family farm model. Through the work of the commission on generational renewal in farming, we have examined succession and demographic challenges in depth. We are progressing its recommendations, from taxation measures to advisory supports, to make it easier for farms to transfer from one generation to the next. Through our national action plan on women in agriculture and our engagement with the International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026, we are recognising that the future of farming must be inclusive, visible and accessible to all who wish to pursue it. Through targeted sectoral initiatives, in dairy, beef, sheep, tillage, organics, biomethane and water quality, we are ensuring that environmental ambition and farm viability go hand in hand. The question before us is not whether we care about the future of the family farm. We do. The real question is how best to secure that future. In my view, the answer lies in consistent implementation, continued engagement with stakeholders and policy certainty. Farmers need clarity and stability. They need to know that long-term strategies will be followed through, not replaced before they are fully delivered. For that reason, the Government has proposed a reasoned amendment to decline to give a Second Reading to the Bill on the basis that its objectives are already being comprehensively addressed through existing policy frameworks. The work ahead is substantial. We must continue to make farming attractive to young people; support orderly and fair succession; ensure a strong and well-funded CAP; strengthen farmers' position in the value chain; encourage diversification and innovation; ensure that climate and environmental measures are practical and economically viable; and foster equality and inclusion across the sector. None of these objectives are stand-alone. They are interconnected economically, socially and environmentally. That is precisely why a food systems approach, as set out in Food Vision 2030, is so important. Ireland's agrifood sector has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and adaptability in recent years. We need to acknowledge and celebrate that achievement, rather than constantly engaging in negative commentary. With the right framework, the right investment and continued co-operation with the agrifood sector, the agrifood sector will continue to play a vital role in the economic, social and environmental sustainability of our rural economy and rural communities. The family farm model has endured for generations because it adapts. Our responsibility is to ensure that the policy environment enables that adaptation, fairly, sustainably and confidently. If we stay focused on delivery, maintain open dialogue and keep the well-being and viability of primary producers at the heart of our decisions, I am confident that the family farm in Ireland will not only survive the challenges of this decade but will emerge a lot stronger. I thank the Deputies for their contributions and Deputy Kenny for bringing forward his proposal.

Sentiment score: 0.33