Agriculture Supports
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Martin Heydon (FG), Kildare South

I was delighted to be able to introduce the tillage sustainability support scheme earlier this year. I have not been found wanting in standing up and supporting a tillage sector that has been under pressure in recent times. The same applies to horticulture. It is gravely concerning that the vegetable and fruit crops element has been greatly narrowed down. We have lost businesses in that sector such are the tight margins. In terms of that market here in Ireland and what Irish consumers consume, a key reason Government set up the Agri-Food Regulator, and why I gave additional funding and additional powers to that regulator last year, is to support it in ensuring equity in the relationship between the primary producer, the processor and the retailer. Any sharp practices on the retail side need to be examined and rooted out. In that sector in particular we see products being sold at very low prices, demeaning the value of Irish vegetables, which is not in any of our interests as an island nation.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09