Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has thrown down the gauntlet for the Government to fund the proposals around succession detailed in the report by the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming group.
She said she would “absolutely” like to see a succession scheme funded out of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at the National Ploughing Championships last week she said that her party had a long-standing proposal for a commission on the family farm.
“I think the Government adopted a paler shade of that, but nonetheless I think that it is welcome that there are proposals for financial supports for younger farmers but also older farmers who are transitioning out,” McDonald said
“The question is now for Government, now that they have this report, these proposals – are they going to implement them? Are they going to fund them?”
McDonald also questioned whether the Government would work to increase the budget for the next CAP, which, as it is currently proposed, has about 80% of the current CAP funding.
“Are they going to advance and work with others for an increase in CAP? We’ve seen a slide in CAP since the 1970s and there has to be a reality check here you know because economic crises, whether it’s Brexit or Trump’s tariffs or war in Ukraine or disruption in the Middle East have underscored the importance of food security for us,” she said.
“It’s not just farmers. All of Irish society has a vested interest in maintaining the incredible standards and quality of produce from Irish family farms. That has to bring younger people in,” McDonald said.
Mercosur deal
Ireland should not be signing up to the Mercosur trade deal as the South American bloc does not meet the same standards as Ireland when it comes to the environment and traceability, she said.
“The Government here domestically and the international system correctly advances environmental standards, proper regulations, traceability, all of these things,” she said.
“We shouldn’t be signing up to a trade agreement that doesn’t meet those requirements.
“Farmers are correctly concerned about Mercosur. We have made it very clear that we will oppose this deal but also at a European level.
“I believe that that’s what the Irish Government should do. I’ve heard ambiguity from them at times on that point. I think they now need to be very clear and they need to tell [Ursula] von der Leyen and the rest that they are simply not signing on for it,” McDonald added.
“Farmers may take comfort from the fact that their concerns around Mercosur are shared by people who might be environmentalists, who care about climate change and the rainforest and who care that food production does not come at the cost an environmental catastrophe such as levelling vast quantities of the rainforest,” the Sinn Féin leader said.
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Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has thrown down the gauntlet for the Government to fund the proposals around succession detailed in the report by the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming group.
She said she would “absolutely” like to see a succession scheme funded out of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at the National Ploughing Championships last week she said that her party had a long-standing proposal for a commission on the family farm.
“I think the Government adopted a paler shade of that, but nonetheless I think that it is welcome that there are proposals for financial supports for younger farmers but also older farmers who are transitioning out,” McDonald said
“The question is now for Government, now that they have this report, these proposals – are they going to implement them? Are they going to fund them?”
McDonald also questioned whether the Government would work to increase the budget for the next CAP, which, as it is currently proposed, has about 80% of the current CAP funding.
“Are they going to advance and work with others for an increase in CAP? We’ve seen a slide in CAP since the 1970s and there has to be a reality check here you know because economic crises, whether it’s Brexit or Trump’s tariffs or war in Ukraine or disruption in the Middle East have underscored the importance of food security for us,” she said.
“It’s not just farmers. All of Irish society has a vested interest in maintaining the incredible standards and quality of produce from Irish family farms. That has to bring younger people in,” McDonald said.
Mercosur deal
Ireland should not be signing up to the Mercosur trade deal as the South American bloc does not meet the same standards as Ireland when it comes to the environment and traceability, she said.
“The Government here domestically and the international system correctly advances environmental standards, proper regulations, traceability, all of these things,” she said.
“We shouldn’t be signing up to a trade agreement that doesn’t meet those requirements.
“Farmers are correctly concerned about Mercosur. We have made it very clear that we will oppose this deal but also at a European level.
“I believe that that’s what the Irish Government should do. I’ve heard ambiguity from them at times on that point. I think they now need to be very clear and they need to tell [Ursula] von der Leyen and the rest that they are simply not signing on for it,” McDonald added.
“Farmers may take comfort from the fact that their concerns around Mercosur are shared by people who might be environmentalists, who care about climate change and the rainforest and who care that food production does not come at the cost an environmental catastrophe such as levelling vast quantities of the rainforest,” the Sinn Féin leader said.
Read more
Plough On Podcast: Mary Lou, Micheál and a world ploughing champion
Mary Lou McDonald: a lot of work to be done to retain derogation
In pictures: 62,000 attend final day of Ploughing 2025
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