Vol. 1055 No. 5
38. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give consideration to the proposals contained in the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25711/24]
Will the Minister give or has he given consideration to legislation Deputy Carthy and I brought forward regarding the establishment of a commission to look at the future of our family farms? Many farmers are very unsure about their future, and it would be very worthwhile looking at this subject to ensure we protect that future.
I am fully committed to the promotion and retention of the family farm model in Ireland. It is something unique and valuable. It is the heartbeat of our rural economy and the promotion of the family farm has been at the centre of all my major initiatives as Minister, including almost €10 billion of investment on Irish farms under the CAP strategic plan. Implementation of this plan is now central to all of my Department's work and I believe that farmers need policy certainty now and the space to get on with their actions under their various schemes between now and the end of 2027.
Central to the development of our agrifood sector is Food Vision 2030, to which all the key stakeholders across the agrifood sector contributed and with which all the key stakeholders agree. Food Vision 2030 called for an ambitious blueprint for the sector for the years ahead supporting family farms and employment in rural Ireland and adding value sustainably into the future.
In late 2019, a committee with 32 members representative of the sector and independently chaired was established to put forth the 2030 strategy. The committee held 13 meetings. Following the publication of a draft strategy and associated environmental assessments for public consultation, a final strategy was agreed in July 2023. I was delighted to launch Food Vision 2030, which has been welcomed broadly across the farming sector as the way forward and a vision to which all the sector is committed with the family farm very much at the centre of it.
I have examined the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024 and note that the issues proposed for such a commission are the issues Food Vision 2030 has already considered. They include the economic and social future of family farms, promoting a greater understanding of food systems and ensuring farmers get fair play within the food supply chain. I know the Bill is on Second Stage and it is open to the Deputy to progress it and bring it before the Dáil but I am certainly working very collaboratively with everyone in the sector to plot an agreed way forward for the development of our agrifood sector and the protection of family farms.
I know that strategy is there but in recent months, particularly in the past year, I have found that when I meet with farmers, they do not just talk about the schemes, income and viability. They are talking about their sons or daughters who have emigrated or the fact that they are wondering whether they should encourage their sons or daughters on to their farms in the first place. In the previous generation, it was standard that a son or daughter would take on the family farm. There was no question about it. We are at a point where the next generation is not guaranteed and there does not seem to be the feeling out there that what is in the strategy as outlined is enough to secure the future of our family farms, particularly when it comes to generational renewal and the significant challenge climate action will be for many farmers. We need to secure our agricultural sector, particularly family farms. The Minister knows that some farmers are closing their gates, so I ask him to consider taking another look at my Bill.
I welcome the fact that the Deputy put forward a Bill and that she is focusing on the family farm model. However, we have developed a collaborative system over the past 20 years, starting with former Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Brendan Smith, and Food Harvest 2020, followed by the ten-year strategy under Food Wise 2025. The most recent ten-year strategy Food Vision 2030 brings everyone in the sector together to agree the way forward and ensure that the family farm is central to that sustainable food system. This is a very robust, comprehensive and unique way to plan our agricultural sector and protect the family farm into the future. It is quite unique internationally because it gets that buy-in across the various stakeholders. This is the way to go forward in terms of how we continue to develop the sector. While I welcome initiatives, suggestions and proposals, I am very committed to the current approach, ensuring we progress with that and having everyone involved with the family farm very much at the centre.
I appreciate that. We are now well into 2024. We need consultation on how we get to that point and ensure that what is in the strategy comes to fruition, in particular for family farms. My father would not mind me saying he is not very old - he is in his early 60s. I have two brothers farming, and for them the future is uncertain. My father would not have thought that even ten years ago, but the picture has changed a great deal. I meet many farmers who one would expect to speak about various schemes and income but who instead are talking about the future. We need to make sure that if the strategy is the only way forward, it is implemented and there is ongoing consultation with farm organisations, in particular the likes of Macra na Feirme, and the next generation on the future of family farms because it is important that we protect and sustain them.
I agree with the Deputy on the importance of protecting and supporting family farm income. There have been more part-time farmers over the past ten, 20 or 30 years. Whether farmers are part-time or full-time, my objective has been that through the schemes and income generation opportunities we deliver in government, we make it worth their while. Food Vision 2030 is a very strong programme, vision and strategy to develop the sector and ensure that the family farm model stays at the centre of our agricultural industry.
I chair the monitoring and implementation committee every couple of months, which comprises representatives across the sector, in order to make sure that we drive forward with the implementation of the various actions set out in the strategy. In due course, we will update the strategy. It is important that the family farm model is absolutely central to that. I thank the Deputy for her contribution to the discussion and her commitment to the family farm model. I look forward to continuing that journey and supporting farmers in any way we can.
39. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will properly engage with those affected by ash dieback in order to reflect their views in the reconstitution ash dieback scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25712/24]
I ask the Minister of State about the recent changes that have been announced to the scheme for those affected by trees with ash dieback. I was disappointed to learn from some organisations that there was no consultation with them on what the changes to the scheme would actually look like. That is deeply disappointing and was a mistake. We are now left with a situation whereby there are many people who are very unhappy and deeply frustrated with what has been announced in respect of the scheme. I would appreciate if she would acknowledge and agree to meet them regarding the changes she has made to the scheme.
I thank Deputy Kerrane for the question. As she and everyone in the House knows, I take very seriously the effect that ash dieback has had on those landowners who planted ash under schemes my Department funded over the years. That is why I set up the independent review group last year. Its remit was to review the existing and previous supports available to those ash forest owners. In doing so, the group engaged extensively and at length with representative groups and individual landowners affected by ash dieback and their views are reflected in the final published report.
In response to that report, I secured Government approval, after a prolonged process, for an ash dieback action plan which addresses all 13 of the review group's recommendations. It provides for, among other things, an additional €79.5 million in funding to pay for a new climate action performance payment. This tax-free payment of €5,000 per hectare is available to those forest owners who fully engage with my Department's reconstitution schemes and carry out replanting. Under the new reconstitution for ash dieback scheme that opened last year, site clearance grants were doubled to €2,000 per hectare, which the review group accepted as a reasonable sum. Furthermore, grant and premium rates under the scheme were enhanced to the higher levels on offer in the new forestry programme. This now brings the overall financial package available to ash plantation owners who are dealing with or have dealt with ash dieback to over €230 million. I believe that the action plan, including the financial package, is a robust and definitive response to what has undoubtedly been a challenging and extremely difficult time for many farmers.
In terms of implementation of the action plan, we are engaging in an open and detailed manner with those affected by ash dieback. This is being facilitated through the ash dieback task force, which held a meeting on 28 May 2024. The task force comprises the relevant stakeholders, including representatives of ash forest owners, and its purpose is to facilitate a co-ordinated response and swift implementation of the action plan.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Of course there was engagement, which I acknowledge, in terms of the review report on the existing scheme. The report told us the State should cover the full cost of clearance and was also very clear in saying that the Department should explore the potential for a once-off ex gratia payment. There was engagement at that level when the review was carried out. However, I am referring to engagement with the changes made to the scheme. Many people affected by this are not happy with those changes. Representatives from Limerick and Tipperary woodland owners came before an Oireachtas committee yesterday. They are very unhappy, annoyed, frustrated and upset by the changes which have been announced that do not cover the cost of site clearance in every circumstance. One person was quoted €10,000 for clearance. Why should they have to pay €8,000 to clear a plant that has been destroyed through no fault of their own?
I thank the Deputy. As I said, there has been extensive engagement, not only through the independent review group. A significant package has been brought forward. There have been accusations that there have been changes to the scheme. The ash dieback reconstitution scheme was established last year and I have always encouraged people to apply for it because it is the first entry point for any farmer who wishes to avail of the climate action performance payment. There has been no change to that aspect of the scheme.
A significant additional package of almost €80 million for the climate action performance payment was secured. There are several disgruntled people, but the vast majority of owners affected by ash dieback are very happy with the scheme. Some thought they would never see any scheme that would support them. There is widespread acceptance of and engagement with the scheme. I would like to put on the record that the reconstitution scheme has issued approvals for over 2,300 ha in the past ten months.
To be clear, there is no accusation in regard to the changes. The changes I am referring to are the additions to what was there, which everyone wanted to see. However, people wanted them reflected in the independent review report with which they engaged. The fact is that once the independent review report was completed, and an additional climate action performance payment and other changes to the scheme were announced, there was no engagement with the sector.
People are really annoyed. There was a protest two weeks ago outside Leinster House that was attended by about 200 people, none of whom is happy with the scheme. Where is the Minister of State picking up that people are very happy with the scheme? That is certainly not what I am hearing.
Regarding site clearance, people planted trees, did what was asked of them and what they were encouraged by the Department to do and have had their trees destroyed through no fault of their own. Why should they be out of pocket and have to spend thousands to clear trees? Most landowners are not in a position to pay for that. This is a major issue and it will mean that these trees will not be cleared.
The site clearance aspect was addressed by the independent review. Having engaged with all stakeholders, including landowners, it was felt that doubling the clearance rate from €1,000 to €2,000 per ha was a fair picture to paint and price to pay. I accept that there will be examples where people have to pay more. This is a grant to support clearance. In some instances, the clearance might not cost €2,000.
I accept that there will be extreme examples - the one the Deputy quoted is pretty extreme - on the basis of what the independent review group heard only last year from the stakeholders the Deputy is now saying are completely dissatisfied with the scheme. The ash dieback task force is the forum for anyone who has an issue with the scheme to engage with. It has met and will continue to meet. Its sole purpose is to allow for owners affected by ash dieback and other stakeholders to have their voices heard. That is where that needs to be done and that is why I established it.
The majority of organisations involved in that are engaging proactively and progressively.
