Fuel Supports to the Agricultural Sector: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-21
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Malcolm Noonan (GP), Agricultural Panel

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I just want to add to the points made by my colleague. The shock that has been reverberating around the world has to be the wake-up call for our agricultural system. It gives us the opportunity to look at changes in models of agriculture in Ireland and in particular to look at regenerative agriculture such as using less chemical fertiliser inputs. Among the farms down in my part of the country is the Daniels' farm that uses a lot less nitrogen-based fertilisers and that is a profitable dairy enterprise.
Agroforestry and working farming with nature has to be a central tenet of the next cycle of what we do with CAP. The CAP budget will be reduced and there are huge demands on it. It is clear that the Commission is trying to move away from those direct subsidies. We will see the LIFE projects being eliminated in the next cycle as well. This is at a time when we have a nature restoration plan and an opportunity for farmers to participate in long-term schemes where they could be getting additional income for restoring nature on their lands.
Will the Minister say how many local abattoirs are left in this country? We should be butchering meat and selling it locally in our local butcher shops. My colleague made the point in relation to the groceries order and the below-cost selling of vegetables in our supermarkets. That issue has to be tackled. The horticulture sector is really in a terrible state and it needs similar supports, if not greater supports, than dairy and beef are getting. If we are looking at future-proofing our agricultural sector away from the shocks that we are experiencing at the moment it has to be towards regenerative farming. There are lots of very small producers out there producing for local markets. Developing that sector and developing local markets for produce, with direct selling to customers, has to be the way. It must be at least part of the way forward, if not the entire way forward. I ask the Minister to give consideration to that.
While I have the floor, I mentioned in the Order of Business the traditional farm buildings grant. In 2025 that grant scheme was €1.5 million but this year it has been cut in half to €750,000. If the Minister can find any money in the coffers in the Department of agriculture I ask that he give it to the Heritage Council. It is a hugely popular scheme for farmers and farm organisations. If that funding could be reinstated for our traditional farm buildings, I would certainly welcome that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-21