He should come before the House and-----

We need to have a debate this week on the ongoing CAP discussions. It is a matter of recorded fact that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is at a European level fighting against every proposal that would see a redistribution of CAP funds from the beef barons and sheikhs back to smaller family farmers.

I propose that a debate on this process be placed on the agenda for Wednesday so the Minister can engage in a proper debate on the matter.

He is fighting against the interests of Donegal farmers.

I commend the Rural Independent Group for bringing this motion to the House. I also commend Deputy Nolan for leading on this important issue. I confirm that Sinn Féin Deputies are happy to support the motion. The Irish family farm stands as the bulwark of rural Ireland. The family farm network remains the main economic driver of our communities. In times of economic downturn we turn consistently to farmers and they never let us down. The success of family farms is a success for us all. When a small farm in our cons…

Will the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine ensure that his Department will carry out a comprehensive analysis of the impact of factory-owned feedlots on the beef sector, including on prices and the environment?

The only way we can ensure a food ombudsman or any other body will be able to tackle unfair practices within the sector is if we have all the information in the first instance. It is incredible that the Department does not have a definition of "factory feedlot" or of a feedlot in general. We are basing all our information on the controlled finishing units, which serve as a proxy. Even so, we know that 300,000 cattle, or over 15% of the total kill, came from within those units last year. It is inconceivable to sugge…

I assure the Minister that I have always believed in strong regulation of the beef sector but I am sceptical as to whether the office of the food ombudsman will deliver on it. If it does and the Minister passes legislation that will ensure proper accountability and transparency in the sector, not only will I support it but I will also commend the Minister for introducing it. This issue has an effect on the wider debate on climate action and the environmental impact of beef production. It is entirely unfair to sugge…

The low number of applications to the organic farm scheme has re-emphasised just how poor our organic strategy is. What does the Minister of State intend to do about that?

There is no ambition in the Minister of State's strategy. It is interesting the Minister of State states that her target is to reach the EU average but she did not actually say what that percentage was because the Department's percentage is 7.5%. That was the EU average in 2018 and that average has already increased. By the time we reach the Minister of State's targets, if we do, we will have reached a target that is seven years out of date. Some 74 people left the scheme last year. That means that if all 317 appli…

That is another problem. Why are they operating outside of the scheme? What are the flaws in the scheme and what has the Minister of State done to assess this? The 8.5% figure is the 2019 figure which was a full percentage increase across the European Union level from the year before. We do not have any more updated figures. The rest of Europe is moving ahead of us. We have a strong reputation internationally for a green and environmentally friendly agriculture product. That reputation is going to be important if w…

The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, said that she was genuine in her ambition for forestry in Ireland. I accept that she is sincere in her ambition but she took office with a very bad position on forestry and the position has got a whole lot worse since the Government has been in place. What changes will she make to resolve what is now a crisis in Irish forestry?

The number of licences issued for felling in March and April this year was down by 25% compared with the same period last year. Whether it is afforestation licences, road-opening licences or felling licences, we are way behind target. Not only are we dealing with a crisis in the here and now with our timber industry, but we are facing a generational crisis with regard to afforestation. The Minister of State has set a target of 8,000 ha for planting. Last year, we were wildly off those targets. She has set a target …

How many applications are currently being processed per week? I have mentioned the crisis. Everywhere I go, I hear about this. If one tries to encourage a farmer to enter forestry schemes right now, one will be on a hiding to nothing. That is where there is a crucial concern for the future. We know that Coillte is important but the preferential treatment it has been given compared with private landowners has meant that that sector where we need growth to happen with regard to afforestation policy has become complet…

Deputy Martin Browne has raised the fundamental question here. At the moment there is no viable alternative and certainly no environmentally sustainable alternative to use of horticultural peat in the mushroom industry. The Deputy mentioned 3,000 jobs. These are concentrated in counties like my own county of Monaghan where there are very few alternative economic drivers for the local economy. Therefore, the alternatives to the use of domestic horticultural peat are that we continue to import peat from outside the S…

On behalf of Deputy Clarke, I ask the Minister if he has considered amending the sheep welfare scheme in the interests of ensuring animal welfare standards and also in recognition of the continued depression in wool prices. Is there a way we can support our sheep farmers?

I thank the Minister for the response. I acknowledge that sheep meat prices have increased and are at a more favourable level than before. We can agree that we hope that will continue for a long time. I welcome the work done on the review of the wool sector and it is baffling in many ways that we do not have an indigenous wool sector in the country. We are all united in seeing that develop. What is the next step for the review? The Minister indicated that approximately 30 submissions were received. I hope some of t…

I thank the Minister for that response. I was speaking with a farmer in the Minister's constituency who told me he was offered €20 for one dozen bags of wool. This tells us how stark the problem is. He indicated that he was relieved not to be charged for having the wool removed. It is very important that this work continues. On the sheep welfare scheme, I thought it was a simple enough process to amend that scheme to include clipping sheep as an additional measure that would bring even a small income to farmers and…

I thank the Acting Chairman. I wish to reiterate the point that timber production is very important. In our earlier discussion, we spoke of the crisis in that area. This must be distinct from the forestry policy. I am aware that this is where the Minster of State is strongest in her ambition. I fear, however, that we do not have, nor have we ever had, a proper strategy based on the promotion of native broadleaf species, and the inclusion of as many people as possible. I have spoken on the importance of the farmer a…

I also wish to welcome this Bill. It is a resolution of sorts to what has been fundamental unfairness in the so-called fair deal scheme. It has affected farming families, in particular. In capping the contributions at three years as they relate to family farms, the scheme now essentially reflects the reality that in many cases, family farms are extensions of the family homes rather than a speculative asset that is hoarded or treated as a business or other type of asset. That is most important. My regret, which I be…