It has been a stop-start beginning to Charlie McConalogue’s new portfolio. He and his wife welcomed their first child into the world earlier in the summer and, shortly after taking office, the Dáil broke for the summer. Now McConalogue is focused on working for farmers.

McConalogue is part of the new breed of Fianna Fáil which has emerged under party leader Micheál Martin. He’s young (38), dynamic and wanting to get back into power.

Éamon Ó Cuív is the former FF spokesman on agriculture, food and the marine. While holding the frontbench position, Ó Cuív was, at times, confrontational and did not always work with all farmers in all parts of the country.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore, McConalogue said he wants to work with all farmers and has a single goal.

“I’m looking to work with every farmer across the agriculture sector by prioritising the need that the farmer isn’t the one being squeezed all the time. Farmers need to make a profit regardless of the size of the farm so we can ensure farming grows and ensure that the maximum number of farm families can make a living from farming,” he said.

Listen to Charlie McConalogue in our podcast below:

A history and politics graduate from UCD but from a suckler and sheep farm, McConalgue said he was delighted to take up the agriculture portfolio.

“I grew up on a suckler and sheep farm in Donegal that was the family income. I farmed for a while and now my brother farms it. I’ve a grá for land and a love of farming. If I had to pick a brief, it would be one I would like to do … I’m very much excited about getting down to work now that the Dáil is coming back.”

The Donegal TD comes to farming at a difficult time. Incomes are under pressure, and the weather has been hurting farmers badly.

Looking specifically at the tillage sector, farmers are on the back of the fourth difficult year in a row but their troubles have been compounded by heavier than usual rainfall. McConalogue said he is acutely aware of the woes of these farmers. “All farmers are taking a hit and, in my own county, two-thirds of the spring crop is still not in. Some farmers haven’t gotten any of it in. It’s at crisis levels now.”

He believes the Government needs to act before the budget on 11 October to put in place a crisis fund for all farmers affected by the weather.

“I think they need to look at it before the budget. They need to give some sort of indication that they are going to give some type of support to those farmers who can’t get the crop out … there needs to be some sort of crisis fund for those.”

Fianna Fáil went into February’s general election trying to win over the small farmer. It was the same small farmer who has traditionally voted Fine Gael. The promise was a €200 payment on the first 20 suckler cows in a herd. However, there has been very little movement by the party to lobby for this.

“We’re continuing to press for it,” McConalogue said. “Any underspend in CAP needs to be directed towards the suckler cow. Coming up to the mid-term review, the budget needs to deliver €200 for the first 20 cows. It’s an important support for suckler farmers … it’s important to keep the suckler herd up.”

Looking at the wider agricultural direction of the party, McConalogue said its first priority is building on a bill it published calling for a food ombudsman.

“We’re looking to establish one [an Ombudsman] to give teeth to the grocery code. We do believe there should be transparency in the food chain. We’ve seen the beef price go from €4.15/kg and €3.70/kg and still under pressure. Yet you go into your supermarket and you won’t be seeing any reduction in the price of a kilogramme of beef.”

McConalogue also said Ireland should not be penalised when it comes to the environment and having to meet legally binding targets while also producing food.

“The world is going to have to be fed. Ireland has a role to play in maximising production. We have a sustainable model here. There needs to be an understanding of that.”

The Dáíl resits again this week with Budget 2017 taking place next month.

Read more

Budget boost for stressed farmers