International Year of the Woman Farmer: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-20
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Martin Heydon (FG), Kildare South

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising an important issue and making many constructive points in his motion. The esteem in which he is held by his colleagues is evident from the contributions to and participation in this debate. I thank all Members for their indulgence in my having to leave the Chamber on a few occasions for votes. I promise to drive on now and not stop.
As many Members of the House shared personal stories of their grandparents, mothers, sisters or others, I will start by doing the same. Senator Conway, towards the end of the debate, touched on my personal experience of growing up. My mother was an integral part of our farming system. No big farm management decisions were made on the farm that she was not consulted about. She was a farmer on the ground but not on paper. In the 1980s my mother's name did not appear anywhere on documents, such as about the herd number or anything like that. That was the case until, unfortunately, at the age of 43, she became a widow when Dad passed away and she was left with three young children, of whom I was one. Therefore, when we see the small percentage of female farmers and how small the number is, I am acutely aware that many of them are not the lead farmer on the farm by choice. We would have liked partnerships and a better structure, but as has been outlined, many people have been put in that situation due to circumstances they wish did not happen.
My mother gave me the grá or love I have for agriculture by deciding not to set the land, which would have been the easier thing to do with three young children to be educated. Instead she switched to sucklers, and before and after school, morning and evening, we fed those cows so that I would have that grá and taste for it. She was also keen to know, before signing over the farm, who I would marry. It may be just as well that Senator Costello is not here as she might get upset, because Mam said to me one day, "What if you marry someone from Dublin who does not care about the calves?" "There are plenty of people in Dublin who do care about the calves", is the answer I should have given her. However, when I married a potato farmer's daughter from outside Athy, Mam duly felt it was time to hand over the farm. She was happy enough. My wife and I, having both been raised in farming circles and having our active farm at home, are determined that each of our four children will have an equal opportunity to inherit the farm. It will go to whoever has the grá, passion or desire and my daughter will not be disadvantaged by being one of four with three brothers. We will not put too much pressure on her - she is only five - but as of now she has the same shot as any of the boys in that.
Before I go into the individual comments in Members' contributions, I thank people for their compliments about the work of my Department. I acknowledge, as Senator Paul Daly did, those who have gone before me in leading the way on this, and I pay tribute to some exceptional officials in the Department of agriculture. I do not get to recognise them very often. I am joined by Mr. Sean Bell today. People like Ms Elisa Goode in the Department are passionate about this area. The Department is now led for the first time by a female Secretary General, and Ms Sinéad McPhillips, from the top down, has shown real leadership in this space. I attended a number of women in agriculture events in Mexico and Asia when our Secretary General was assistant secretary with responsibility for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and more.
I am proud of the leadership role Ireland plays in respect of women in agriculture. This debate on the motion tabled by Senator Boyhan has allowed me to touch on much of that progress while also taking on board the points raised about education and other things, which have been constructive. Senator Boyhan made a significant reference to Our Rural Future, which he has a copy of. The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, under the Minister, Deputy Calleary, who I work closely with on this, LEADER funding and all the areas we care about that traverse both farming and rural Ireland, is currently drafting a new rural development strategy with a significant contribution from my Department, including input on promoting women in agriculture, as we did in the first strategy, and taking it to the next level. The Senator can be reassured that the points he made about that were heard.
Senator Boyhan also referenced the transfer and ownership of land. The commission on generational renewal we brought together as a group to look at the huge challenges in generational renewal came up with a report that had 31 clear actions. It called out the challenges and barriers around gender, access to land, access to finance and beyond. Those challenges are in that space.
A number of colleagues mentioned the green certificate through education in secondary schools and others said it about transition year. The green certificate is a valuable document. It is the mechanism through which the tax supports the State's way of supporting generational renewal, so there is a high standard for it and it is there for good reason. Senators alluded to impediments, and the point was made about the National Stud by Senator McCarthy. For good reason the green certificate is cherished and we have to be careful of the accreditation. We do not want to undermine it in any way.
Senator Boyhan also made a point about children and their place on the farm in the context of women. I was Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety for four years and am still disturbed by the poor attitude we have to risk on our farms. Irish farmers are seven times more likely to lose their lives in a farm workplace incident than any other of the 2 million workers in this country because of that poor attitude to risk. I always think if we had more female farmers leading on our farms, they would not have as poor an attitude to risk. Senator Boyhan said it in the context of children and where children play on the farm, but in all aspects of what farmers do in general, they have too much of an attitude that near misses are acceptable in life. They are not and should not be. Women farmers have a voice with which they speak out and call it out more.
Senator Paul Daly talked about the women in his life as well and about making farming attractive. In many ways, that is about taking away the barriers. That is important.
Senator Brady spoke about his grandmother. I also reflected on my grandmothers. I am the first generation in a long time on both sides of my family not to be a full-time farmer. That is for now, but I will go back to being one again. He also spoke about Carina Roseingrave, the Department's ambassador, who I will reference later, and the structure under which she wants to bring children onto her farm and what they can learn. It is important. A number of colleagues referenced food security, and explaining where food comes from is a key part of that. The Senator spoke about the role of his daughter on his farm, which is heard of as well.
Senator Collins also talked about taxation structures and the cultural change and education proposals.
When Senator Cosgrove spoke about education and it being a subject for the junior certificate examinations as a crossover with home economics and other subjects, it brought home to me both that we are the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the value of our food and good nutrition and where that comes from. It is the responsibility of everyone in the household and on the farm to advocate for that. The female farmer, whether or not her name is on the herd number, and we want there to be more of a partnership approach, has a key role to play.
Senator Noonan touched on that when he talked about the role of ambassadors in many ways and his and my former colleague, the former Minister of State and Senator, Pippa Hackett, and the work she did.
For Senator Clifford-Lee, food security is an integral part of it and I will be making points as part of our EU Presidency on the reform of the CAP. In the context of all the eastern European countries wanting more money to be spent on defence, we will be talking about the next CAP and the need to fund and support it in the context of food security. The role female farmers have in that space is important. I reflected on the fact that there were probably more female farmers in the ICA in north County Dublin a generation ago than there are now, but I agree with her comments on the ICA and the point I made.
Senator Clonan could not stay, but he reiterated the point on food security and children in our schools. I am aware, as Senator Costello said, that we have some very proud farmers in Bóthar na Brúine, particularly dairy farmers. Not everyone thinks there are farmers in Tallaght, but she advocated well for them.
I thank both Senator Joe Conway for the points he made and Senator Stephenson, who talked about the women in agriculture action plan.
In my remaining time, it is important to say that women account for just over 13% of farmholders in Ireland, despite making up 34% of the agriculture workforce and being heavily involved in family farms throughout the country. Addressing this imbalance is now a clear priority under the programme for Government, the CAP strategic plan and Food Vision 2030. Farmers face complex challenges, from climate change to rising input costs, access to land, succession and market uncertainty.
In meeting those challenges, we cannot afford to overlook the contribution, leadership and innovation of women working across every aspect of the agri-food sector. Increased participation and visibility of women in agriculture has been a priority for me, and it has also been articulated by colleagues in the House this evening.
Guided by the women in agriculture action plan, we have introduced a series of targeted measures, including 60% grant aid for women farmers under CAP investment schemes; women-only knowledge transfer groups, mentorship and leadership initiatives; and ongoing work to address succession barriers that disproportionately affect women. Indeed, Ireland is one of only two member states to have specific measures under the CAP strategic plan to improve gender equality. I hope that through our EU Presidency, I will be able to reinforce that point and encourage other member states to reflect on it as the new CAP is being negotiated. By promoting equal access to education, advisory services and investment opportunities, the CAP strategic plan aims to create a more inclusive agricultural sector that values and supports the contribution of women, strengthens our rural communities and aligns Irish agriculture with broader EU commitments on equality and sustainable development.
In addition, the national action plan on women in agriculture represents a significant and welcome step forward. It recognises the barriers that many women continue to face - from visibility and recognition to access to land, finance, representation and decision-making - while also setting out practical actions to create meaningful change. Since the launch of the plan in January 2024, Ireland has taken a number of important steps towards improving gender equality in our agri-food sector. We have established a dedicated working group made up of stakeholders from across the sector to oversee implementation of the action plan. We have delivered targeted information, awareness and networking initiatives, highlighting women’s contributions to the sector through in-person events, online webinars and social media campaigns.
A review of the terms and conditions and eligibility criteria for Department schemes and payment supports was undertaken to ensure they do not present unintended barriers to women’s participation in farming. This includes the improved collection of gender-related data. We have improved the herd number application process, with updated application forms, guidance notes and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and transparency across the system. We have continued to prioritise increased viability across the sector through initiatives such as the Spotlight on Female-led Sustainability booklet and the gender equality excellence in agricultural education studies award established in collaboration with the UCD school of agriculture and food science. Work on the plan is ongoing, and an implementation report will be published later this year.
Education, visibility and representation are key drivers of change, as many of the contributions today have highlighted. The women in agriculture working group has prioritised promoting agriculture as a viable career for girls and women, supporting flexible education pathways, improving gender-balanced communications and creating platforms that highlight female leadership and innovation across the agri-food sector.
Progress requires cultural change, strong representation, equal access to opportunities and continued support for women at every stage of the farming journey. It also requires us to challenge perceptions about who a farmer is. The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 provides an important opportunity not only to celebrate the immense contribution of women in farming, but also to further drive equality and sustainability within the sector. It is a chance to ensure that the next generation of women entering agriculture can see a future where their voices are heard, their work is recognised and their leadership is valued. We have taken a leading role internationally, including co-sponsoring the launch with Jordan at the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome last year. Ireland is promoting the role of women in sustainable agri-food systems globally, recognising that empowering women farmers strengthens food security, rural economies and climate resilience. My Department held a conference to launch the year in Ireland and to celebrate International Women’s Day. At that conference, I announced the new International Year of the Woman Farmer ambassador, who will represent women in Irish agriculture, raising awareness of existing supports and highlighting issues important to women farmers. As Senator Brady outlined, Carina Roseingrave, this year’s ambassador, has certainly hit the ground running. Further events for the International Year of the Woman Farmer will be held throughout the year.
Women have always been at the heart of agriculture. The task before us now is to ensure that policy, opportunity and recognition finally reflect that reality. The future of agriculture depends on our ability to build a sector that is sustainable, resilient, innovative and fair. That cannot be achieved without fully recognising and supporting the role of women in farming and rural life. The women who work in agriculture today are innovators, business owners, land managers, educators, community leaders and custodians of rural life. Their contribution deserves not only recognition, but investment, support and equal opportunity. As it is in line with Government policy and my priorities as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I support the motion on women in agriculture. I thank Senator Boyhan for putting it forward and thank all Members for their contributions.
With the indulgence of the House, I wish to acknowledge the great people from Voice for Kare in Kildare, who are in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. It is a fantastic organisation. I welcome the CEO, Ms Margaret O’Neill, and the other visitors.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-20