International Year of the Woman Farmer: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-20
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Malcolm Noonan (GP), Agricultural Panel

Pippa Hackett is back farming and heading up an European Innovation Partnership, EIP, programme. She is a fantastic woman ambassador for women in farming more generally and I want to acknowledge her work. I think of the work of Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, who is a fantastic advocate for women farmers. In my own constituency, there are Gail and Bryan Daniels in County Kilkenny who have a derogation farm - an intensive dairy farm - but do amazing work for water quality, biodiversity and climate. The Minister might have met Gail in his travels as she has the Bó Bar soap range handmade using cow's milk. It is an absolutely fantastic product.
Josephine O'Neill is another Kilkenny women and is chair of Macra na Feirme. Alice Doyle is the deputy president of the IFA. Women are breaking glass ceilings in farming all over the country. I think also of the farming for nature ambassadors. For example, Margaret Edgill who is an organic beef farmer and works in agri-tourism and food innovation in County Offaly. There is Cheryl Poole and her husband in County Wexford who show how intensive dairying can go hand-in-hand with nature-rich habitats and good water quality. There is Janet Power and Jenny Watkins who have an organic market garden and Senator Boyhan mentioned the role that women play, particularly in market gardening, across the country. Finally, I think of Suzanna Crampton, granddaughter of the great essayist, Hubert Butler. Suzanna, who is a great friend of mine, now has a sheep farm after she inherited the family farm at Maidenhall in Bennettsbridge. We have fantastic conversations about agricology and about soil in particular.
I support the comments made by Senators, in particular what Senator Brady said about farming in developing countries. I thank Irish Aid and our development organisations such as Trócaire and Concern that do specific on-the-ground work in supporting long-term stability to maintain women in farming roles.
I was in Jinotega in Nicaragua a number of years ago and met coffee farmers in the hills. It was amazing to see the women's co-operatives there. The co-operative movement is very strong even though it is a very patriarchal society. Irish Aid uses and deploys Irish aid in a way that is targeted and supports the measures that women can play in farming. I see it time and time again that climate change is becoming an increasing factor. There is also the ability to maintain children in schools and the challenges that they face in terms of labour rights and access to education. I pay tribute to the Irish Aid programme, in particular the work that it does with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in overseas programmes.
This evening, it is important that we celebrate women in farming. I commend the Department and the Minister on the commitment put forward in ensuring that there is long-term sustainability and a viable career for women in farming. There are women working in advisory roles in many sectors that support farming such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Teagasc. We must look at where the opportunities are in terms of long-term viability, where the changes are happening in agriculture in Ireland, the challenges around climate changing weather conditions, the market prices, etc. Women play a key role in that and their role needs to be strengthened. Again, I commend the work the Department is doing and I thank Senator Boyhan for initiating this debate this evening. It has been most valuable.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-20