Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024: Second Stage [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-19
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Noel Grealish (IND), Galway West

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.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:40+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-19