Martin Kenny, Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Féin
“The clearest problem we have is the CAP negotiations, there’s going to be a major cut if it’s progressed the way it is at the moment.
“The multiannual financial framework needs to get an adequate budget to ensure that farming remains viable. Food security is as important as any other security aspect that we have across Europe, and Irish farmers are central to that.
“And that’s why we make sure we make the Irish farm community viable. When the farmer is profitable, the rural community is vibrant because farmers spend their money in the local community.”
He said there is support within his NUE/NGL grouping in the European Parliament for increasing the agriculture budget: “...there’s a recognition that feeding people was very central to the whole setting up of the European Union, and it is still essential today.”
Niall Collins, Limerick, Fianna Fáil
“The IFA have raised a number of issues. They’re all equally important to the various sectors they they relate to, be it sheep farming, some of the taxation measures, obviously in relation to the MFF and CAP, which I suppose is a longer-term project as well. Our job is to try and support all of the sectors in farming, and that’s certainly something that I’m committed to do.
“I’m now with the Department of Agriculture, as you know, with responsibility for farm safety, horticulture, and forestry. I just want to give a shout out that [this] week is Farm Safety Week, and I would just really encourage everybody in our farming communities and our farm families across Ireland to, you know, keep safe be risk-conscious, keep that to the forefronts of our minds because we’re in the height farming activity at the moment.
“Thankfully, this year we’ve only had two fatalities, but it’s averaging at about 18 over the last number of years, and that’s way too high. We have to continually try to promote that people be conscious of the risks and the dangers that are posed in the workplace of our farms.”
Michael Healy-Rae, Kerry, Independent
“I always appreciate the IFA’s views, and our Kerry representatives are very strong on a number of core issues. Like the future of farming, new generational farming.
“In other words, how are we going to make sure that farming is going to be suitable for young people in the future? And Minister Martin Heydon is very, very strong on this, and his attitude is he will be doing everything to try and ensure that negotiations for the new CAP will allow for family farming to continue.
We have a very good team in in the Department of Agriculture. The senior minister and the three ministers of state – they’re all working well together, and I’d be hopeful that the EU presidency will let them shine.”
Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, Carlow, Fianna Fáil
“The viability of family farms is something that’s really important. Obviously, the tillage sector is something that’s particularly under pressure at the moment, so we put a really strong focus on that.
“Obviously, we’ve got CAP, and our negotiations and our position as President of the European Council puts us in a good place to make sure we get a better MFF than the 80% that’s currently on the table so that’s a huge priority for government...We have a problem in this country at the moment, with about 4% of our of our farmers under 35 years of age...it’s a European problem, but it is an Irish problem, and we need to do more, particularly in that sector, to encourage the viability of family farms and encourage people into the into the farming sector.”
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