Vol. 1089 No. 4
7. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to support the growth and international expansion of Irish-owned food and agrifood businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52234/26]
We all know the importance of the agri sector and in particular the agrifood sector. In the ever-changing geopolitical world we live in today, food safety is becoming even more important, while we must also focus on our economy and growing our exports. What that in mind, what measures are being taken to support the growth and international expansion of Irish-owned food and agrifood businesses?
I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. A key focus of Food Vision 2030, the shared stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector, is to grow the value of Irish agrifood exports in international markets, which, as I outlined earlier, we have been very successful at in recent years. In 2025, Irish exports were recorded at €20.8 billion, with exports to over 180 countries worldwide.
Given the dependence of the sector on exports, trade and market diversification are a priority for my Department. Food Vision 2030 reflects the importance of diversifying and developing new markets and new market segments for Irish food and drink products in the UK, the EU and wider international markets. Food Vision also aims to increase the value of exports of sustainably produced and high-quality Irish food and beverages globally. Bord Bia works to promote Ireland’s outstanding food, drink and horticulture produce around the world. Its activities include participation at food exhibitions and trade shows and the running of digital campaigns, retail and restaurant promotions as well as a range of other trade promotions and events including campaigns around the St. Patrick's Day global celebrations. Bord Bia also hosts inward buyer visits on an ongoing basis as well as meetings with key international companies.
Ministerial trade missions are led by me and the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley, Collins and Grealish, over the range of our different responsibilities. They are a key element of the strategy to deliver on the Food Vision priorities to develop and diversify markets and to increase the value of Irish agrifood exports. They also present opportunities to expand Ireland’s trade and investment profile and to promote Ireland’s strong international reputation as a producer of safe, nutritious and sustainable food and drink, for example through extensive business-to-business engagement, networking opportunities and high-level political discussions.
The destinations and markets targeted by my Department for trade missions focus on the best opportunities to develop new markets and to promote our agrifood products in collaboration with our stakeholders, which include Bord Bia, Sustainable Food Systems Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. Once market access is in place, which can be a lengthy process, Bord Bia in particular will work to promote Irish produce and assist companies in maximising those opportunities to export.
I welcome the continued success of the agrifood sector. It is one of Ireland's greatest national success stories, supporting thousands of jobs, sustaining rural communities and making an enormous contribution to our economy. We are really proud of our Offaly food companies like Glenisk, Tullamore Dew and others. Irish food has earned an outstanding reputation around the world because of its quality and the commitment of our farmers and food producers. The success of our agrifood sector should give us confidence to be even more ambitious.
We should be helping more Irish-owned food businesses to innovate, expand into new markets, create more high quality jobs and compete successfully around the world. That is how to build stronger rural economies and ensure the next generation sees real opportunities in the food industry. Will the Minister outline the long-term vision for achieving that ambition and the next steps his Department and Bord Bia will take to help Irish-owned food businesses to grow, innovate and succeed internationally?
I completely agree with the Deputy. This is a great success story. It is important and we are ambitious. The company the Deputy described from his constituency in County Offaly is a great example, as are many more in the Deputy's county, of the strength of our food companies. The strength of their products and their innovation is that they take farmers' produce to the market place and they are supported by the State through Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia.
There are 13 or 14 agricultural attachés, off the top of my head, who are members of staff of the Department of agriculture, based in our embassies in key markets around the world. That is the level of investment by my Department in growing, emerging markets in south east Asia and beyond, where there are great opportunities. We do that in consultation with food companies because the food companies can identify market opportunities. Bord Bia can also do so. The Department works with the relevant authority to gain market access, which is a lengthy process, and when we get it, I and colleagues go on ministerial trade missions to try to open those markets, create opportunities and make connections for companies.
Ireland's reputation as one of the world's leading food producing nations has been built over generations through quality, innovation and unwavering commitment to high standards. However, it cannot be taken for granted. Around the world, our competitors are investing heavily in research, technology, productivity and new product development and the pace of change is accelerating. If Ireland is to remain a global leader in the next decade, we must continue to invest in innovation, improve productivity and support farmers and food producers to adapt to changing markets and consumer demand.
Food Vision 2030, which the Minister mentioned earlier, provides a strong roadmap but ambition must always be matched by action. Will the Minister outline what new initiatives his Department is bringing forward, working with the likes of Teagasc, Bord Bia and industry, to ensure Ireland remains among the world's most competitive, innovative and trusted food producing nations for the next generation?
A fair indication of what we will do in the future is what we have done recently. We went on trade missions such as to Seoul Food in Korea, Japan Expo, China, Germany, London and United Arab Emirates, where we went to Gulfood. Every Minister takes the opportunity of the St. Patrick's Day missions to promote the work, with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland, of our food and drinks companies. It can be Irish whiskey, dairy produce, beef or other things because we are exporting to more than 180 countries around the world. It is a collaboration.
Getting market access is slow. However, when companies come to us about a niche market, such as duck - they can tell us where there is a huge opportunity and they need to get market access - we reflect on it and if the economic return is there, we will put huge effort into engaging with the relevant authorities to get it. That process is slow but when we get it, we have the opportunity to build relationships, like we did when we gained access to Korea for beef.
8. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the valuation ceilings applied to reactors under the bovine TB eradication scheme, to ensure farmers are compensated for the full market value for animals removed as reactors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52213/26]
The scheme designed to compensate farmers for animals lost to TB is simply not fit for purpose. The market value caps are totally out of step with the real world and farmers are being left thousands of euro out of profit. The Minister has publicly stated that he is monitoring and reviewing these caps. A review without an end date provides farmers with no commitment. When will the review be completed? Can we expect the caps to be increased?
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. We have discussed the bovine TB plan a lot in this House, this year and last year, because bovine TB is an ongoing challenge, as the Deputy is aware, for farmers in Clare and all over the country. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts bovine TB has on farmers, their families and rural Ireland. That is why I am absolutely determined to drive down the number of farm families affected by this and who have to experience the awful trauma of having a reactor and a locked up herd.
I secured an increased budget allocation of €85 million for bovine TB in budget 2026, providing a total budget of €157 million for this year. I am confident that this increased budget will allow the revamped bovine TB programme to focus on tackling disease levels through the implementation of the measures laid out in the new bovine TB action plan. It will support and enable farm families who are currently dealing with the stress of a TB outbreak to navigate a way out of a TB restriction and protect herds that are currently free from TB from the stress of a TB outbreak in the future. The objective of the new measures in the bovine TB action plan is to reduce the number of farms affected by bovine TB and decrease costs for farmers and the taxpayer.
My Department provides a range of financial supports that focus on compensating farmers for direct and indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on the farm. The primary support scheme is the on farm market valuation scheme under which animals removed as reactors receive compensation subject to scheme ceilings equivalent to their market value in the event they had not been disclosed as TB reactors. To the end of May 2026, of the 11,476 animals valued under the on farm market valuation scheme, just over 85% of animals were valued below the scheme ceilings.
The Minister said that budget 2026 money is tied to reducing disease and I commend him on that. It is having a positive effect. Reactor numbers are down significantly year on year to June and the herd incidence rate is also down. That is welcome. However, this disease reduction policy does absolutely nothing for farmers who have animals who are reactors. The Minister can clearly accept there is a problem with the scheme. The farmers I represent are already carrying a heavy burden. Asking them to accept compensation based on valuations that are years out of date is neither fair nor sustainable. Engagement with farmers and organisations is fine but the talking must stop and a decision must be made. Farmers now need clarity and something concrete they can take to the bank, not an endless review.
In addition to the compensation package for eligible reactor animals that are removed during a TB breakdown, my Department operates three supplementary schemes that assist farmers with the indirect losses incurred as a result of a TB breakdown on their farm. They are the income supplement scheme, depopulation grant scheme and hardship grant scheme. As part of the work of the TB forum, a dedicated financial working group was established to review the financial modelling of various elements of the bovine TB eradication programme. As a result of the agreement reached in this group, over the past two years, there were rate enhancements to the income supplement scheme, the hardship grant and the depopulation grant, as well as enhanced ceilings for select animals being removed as part of the on farm market valuation scheme.
Seeing a reduction in numbers in the past year is positive. It has been directly linked to our open discussions about risk categorisation of animals and buyers being more aware of that. We know we will see an increase in bovine TB levels so we cannot be complacent. The focus at present is on reducing the levels of disease, which will reduce the very significant impact of bovine TB on Irish farm families, and also reduce the overall cost of the programme.
I compliment the Minister on the great work he is doing. With respect, farmers battling with this disease cannot live on engagement or reviews with no end date. Every month this drags on, more and more reactors are being removed at values set three years ago, while cattle prices continue to climb, which is good. The scheme also has a significant negative impact on farmers who are producing the best animals. I ask the Minister to consider a modest allocation from his existing budget now to increase the cap to demonstrate to farmers that he has been listening to them; and for a commitment that he will seek a special allocation for compensation from Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, reform in budget 2027. Farmers are entitled to that. Fairness delayed is fairness denied. I ask him to back farmers with action for these people who work hard to make a living.
I thank the Deputy for articulating the points as clearly as he did and with passion.
I understand the points the Deputy is making but as a senior Cabinet Minister, I also need to have full cognisance of the overall cost of the TB programme. Farmers may think that putting €157 million into a TB programme does not impinge on my ability to spend in other areas of the Department where the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley, Collins and Grealish, would like to spend, but that is not borne out in reality. In 2019, just seven short years ago, the entire cost to our Department was €37.5 million. It is now €157 million because of the scale of the challenge we are focused on. I came to last year's budget negotiations with a new plan and a very bold approach that I had spent the summer negotiating. In those negotiations, a clear and explicit determination was given to me, which was that this money was to be used to drive down the incidence of the disease. I understand the points the Deputy is making. We will now be having new budget negotiations. Engagement with officials in the Department of public expenditure will involve a detailed analysis of the trajectory of the disease, where the money is going and the impact it is having. I will also be making the points the Deputy has raised regarding compensation levels.
9. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on measures to support farm succession. [51677/26]
Given that one of the greatest challenges for Irish farming continues to be the ageing demographic and the low percentage of young people who are involved, will the Minister provide an update on measures to support farm succession and generational renewal?
I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this critical issue. It is one of the key issues of our time as regards our agricultural and fisheries sectors and beyond. It is not specific to Ireland or even to Europe. In Ireland, we have the extra challenge that farm families put huge store in educating their children very well, and are aided by the State in doing so, and those children then graduate into an economy at full employment with a lot of alternative options. That is all positive. It is a bit like the challenges the rising price of beef brings. These are positive challenges to have, but they are still very real challenges. We are trying to win the hearts and minds of young people who are considering a career in agriculture and farming in what is a very competitive space.
Farm succession is a key priority for the Government to ensure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of Irish agriculture. A range of supports are in place to encourage timely succession, facilitate generational renewal and assist young farmers in establishing viable farm businesses.
Ireland's CAP strategic plan for 2023 to 2027 provides substantial resources to achieving generational renewal. Measures include: the complementary income support for young farmers; the national reserve scheme, which prioritises young farmers; and a higher grant rate of 60% for qualified young farmers under the TAMS capital investment measure. A collaborative farming grant scheme provides financial support to encourage farmers to form partnerships with young trained farmers and the succession planning advice grant provides financial support towards the costs incurred in accessing independent legal and financial advice in respect of succession planning for older farmers.
Nationally, there are very strong taxation measures to facilitate succession and assist with land mobility. For succession, agricultural relief is a key measure. Along with 100% stamp duty relief, consanguinity stamp duty relief and long-term leasing income tax relief, it supports access to land for young farmers and provides a route to retirement for older farmers. A number of taxation measures already exist. I can go into more detail in my supplementary response.
I welcome the Minister's personal commitment to succession and generational renewal. He is right to say it is not just an Irish issue. He will know about the commission on generational renewal. He has been very strong on its recommendations. Some of them apply to the next round of CAP. The Minister will have to work with his fellow Ministers and with Commissioner Hansen to achieve some of those goals. Others are domestic, however. The Minister is correct about access to land and finance. These are key measures to support succession. Commissioner Hansen has spoken about guaranteeing that all member states invest at least 6% of their agricultural spending on measures to promote generational renewal. The Commission's report talks about 8%. Will we see a significant package dedicated to succession and generational renewal developed as part of the next CAP and, most importantly, here domestically?
That is absolutely the intention. On the funding element, we obviously cannot make any commitments as to what the next CAP will look like for us here in Ireland until we know how much money we have to play with. However, the Deputy is right about Commissioner Hansen's ambitions. The EU's vision for agriculture and food identified generational renewal as a priority. This is reflected in the proposals for a post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy, as the Deputy outlined. The European Commission has also presented a strategy for generational renewal in agriculture. The increased focus on generational renewal at EU level is welcome.
The EU strategy comes to many of the same conclusions as our own commission. The commission on generational renewal estimated that the total financial support for generational renewal in Ireland was €428 million in 2024. That is really significant. A lot of that goes unseen because it is provided through tax incentives. We have seen what happened in the UK when people just assumed tax incentives for the inheritance and transfer of land would always be there. When such measures are messed with, it absolutely devastates generational renewal. It can mean the loss or sale of land that a family member had intended to pass on to another family member. I never take this for granted. I know my party and the Deputy's party would never mess with these measures but people need to be aware of this because I am not as confident about what other parties would do.
I welcome that commitment. I certainly agree with the Minister. It is interesting that the European Commission's proposal aims for 24% of farmers to be new or young farmers by 2040. That is very ambitious. With regard to the strategies, we need to ensure that agriculture is sustainable. That is the kind of goal we need. I praise the work of Macra na Feirme. The Minister will be aware of how Macra operates in his own county. From regular engagements with Macra in Wicklow and Wexford, I know it is very active in this space. We need a succession scheme that supports young farmers and older farmers as that managerial role transitions from one generation to the next. There are some measures in place to do that. We need certainty and legally binding ring-fencing of funding for young farmers under the next CAP to support generational renewal. The Minister is right that there are broader issues in respect of education and guaranteed stable incomes, which are challenges for agriculture more generally. However, to attract young people to stay in or come into the career, these measures are critical.
I agree that the goals are ambitious. They need to be because we have a very big problem here. The average age of a farmer is 57 or 58. That is far too high. It is creating a whole range of challenges from farm safety to delayed innovation and investment and beyond. These wider issues are a nut we really need to crack. I recognise the role of Macra. I guarantee the Deputy that its president, Josephine O'Neill, is very good at articulating Macra's position and desire for a succession scheme. I really want to be able to deliver such a scheme. The commission on generational renewal summed it up very well. It talked about all the barriers, including access to finance, access to land, gender balance and women in agriculture. It said that ultimately, no matter what supports were available, decisions around succession on a farm will still be made around the kitchen table when the family has that discussion. We need to aid and support all of that. I do not believe any one succession grant scheme alone will be the key determinant in that very big decision for the retiring farmer and the young farmer. A lot of things feed into it. Income is obviously a huge issue. The work I am doing on bovine TB, on securing the nitrates derogation and on supporting the tillage sector will all help with generational renewal, as will the very strong measures we are looking for in the next CAP.
10. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to improve the inspection regime of dog breeding establishments. [52127/26]
Does the Minister intend to improve the inspection regime for dog breeding establishments in the near future?
I thank Deputy Dempsey for raising this really important issue. It is something I am passionate about. In order to bring a coherent approach to dog control, policy and legislative responsibility under both the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 transferred to my Department last year. That was part of the agreement in the programme for Government. It was a wise move. I supported it during the talks on the programme for Government. Responsibility was spread across three Departments, which was challenging. As my Department has responsibility for animal welfare, also having responsibility for the control of dogs makes a lot of sense.
As the Deputy will be aware, in both cases, local authorities retain responsibility for all operational and enforcement matters. Inspections of dog breeding establishments are carried out by my Department and by local authority dog wardens. All registered dog breeding establishments undergo an annual inspection. Additional inspections, which include unannounced inspections, are carried out according to a risk assessment.
My Department also introduced an updated dog breeding establishments inspection form to create uniformity when conducting an inspection of a dog breeding establishment. This updated form is used by both my Department and local authorities and will be kept under review in light of key developments in the areas of animal welfare and the law, having regard to the practical lessons learned from conducting inspections.
On 19 May this year, I introduced draft legislation, the dog breeding establishments Bill 2026, to Cabinet to update the existing regulatory framework for dog breeding establishments in Ireland across three key areas: welfare and breeding; sales and record-keeping; and administration and enforcement. The Bill was approved for priority drafting and will be referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food for pre-legislative scrutiny. For the first time, dog breeding establishments will be legally required to employ a minimum of one full-time staff member for every 20 breeding bitches on the premises, ensuring animals receive proper daily care and attention. There are other measures in the Bill I am happy to expand on in my supplementary response.
I thank the Minister. I appreciate that answer and his commitment in this area. It is obvious it is something about which he is quite passionate. It would be really beneficial if we could get some kind of timeline on that now. We met with Dog Law Ireland and other advocates. I met a lady from my own constituency that day called Alma. It is not about people like that. There are excellent dog breeders out there. There really are. Alma spoke about bottle-feeding puppies through the night and nursing the bitches back to health when there were any issues. It is not those people I am talking about here today. It is the dog breeding establishments with which we have serious issues. The updates to that legislation cannot come quick enough for those dogs' physical and mental safety. I am delighted to hear there are annual inspections. In terms of the local authorities, I know there was €2 million in funding last year and perhaps a commitment, although I will not prejudge, in the upcoming budget for more dog wardens. Those teams will never be big enough. They have so much to police and so much to inspect. I would like to ask the Minister about that.
I thank Deputy Dempsey for those points. First of all, to reassure her, the constituents she has met and the dog breeders across the country who do dog breeding well have nothing to fear from this legislation. This is to stop bad practice by any bad actors who might be in this for monetary gain, who do not care about the dogs and who are doing it to exploit any vulnerability that is in the law at the minute. Our job as legislators is to make sure we have tight and robust measures here. It was definitely an area that I felt needed tightening up. I am sure good dog breeders like Alma, who the Deputy referenced, are not doing the kinds of practices we are talking about here. There are measures we are seeking to bring in.
In answer to the Deputy's question around timelines, it will be as soon as possible. I have asked for it to be listed as priority legislation for the next term. I have engaged with our colleague, Deputy Aindrias Moynihan, Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food, to deal with the pre-legislative scrutiny in tandem so that we try to get this Bill through as quickly as possible. It is really important that we do that.
As well as the point around staffing rates and beyond, the limit and the cap of one litter per year will prevent repeated breeding, which is obviously very bad practice. There will be a limit on how many Caesarean sections a breeding dog can have and a cap on the number of litters in her lifetime as well. These are all really important measures.
I thank the Minister for his commitment to getting this through as a priority. I am really delighted. I am sure many people will be delighted to hear that today. The caps he talks about are all very welcome. They are more or less in line with what people like Dog Law Ireland and advocates like my constituent Alma want. The one concern is around the number of bitches that can be in any one of these breeding establishments. We heard stories about 300 bitches being in one establishment with staff having to wear ear defenders because of the noise. The effect that has on dogs is very worrying to really trustworthy and good dog breeders. That might be considered as well.
We will get an opportunity to discuss all elements of this through the five Stages of the legislation when I introduce it to the House and get it cleared. I have not made a decision on the cap yet. I still have an open mind. I have advice from the Attorney General. There are challenges around it that we will get to discuss through the detailed phases of the legislation. Are we comparing like with like in terms of the sizes of premises, such as the difference between a garage and a warehouse? There are challenges and there could be complexities in the law in that regard. However, measures are being proposed in the heads of the Bill. We have 17 heads already, so it is quite a detailed draft Bill. We have measures in there that will naturally limit how many dogs somebody can have, as well as the capping in terms of staffing and how many litters the dog can have. These are all measures we will work through.
The Deputy mentioned funding. Obviously, I work closely with the Minister, Deputy Browne, with his responsibility over local authorities and the dog wardens. However, through my Department, I fund animal welfare charities to the tune of over €6 million, which is a huge increase on the €2.4 million that was paid out to them in 2020. We have continuously invested more in the area of animal welfare and in this area.
11. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the additional measures he is considering to support farm incomes in light of rising input costs and challenges facing the agricultural sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52226/26]
What additional measures is the Minister considering to support farm incomes in light of rising input costs and challenges facing the agricultural sector, and will he make a statement on the matter? I know recent publications showed an increase in farm incomes but that was for the previous 12 months. The big challenge now is in relation to the cost of fertilisers, fuel and electricity. There is a really difficult challenge ahead for the farming community.
I thank Deputy Burke very much for raising what is no doubt a key point. From early 2021, the Central Statistics Office, CSO, agricultural price indices, which measure the level of input costs and output prices paid and received by farmers, saw significant growth and volatility relative to previous years. Unprecedented shocks including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine contributed to these trends. The conflict in the Middle East renewed pressure on global supply chains and has emphasised our vulnerability to changes in the availability and price of fuel and fertiliser both in Ireland and the EU. Input cost increases have serious implications across all sectors in our economy, including the agrifood sector, adversely affecting farmer incomes and food affordability. Furthermore, the elevated cost base of the sector is a risk to its overall competitiveness.
While 2025 was a strong year for farm incomes, with average family farm income estimated to be up by about 49% in the national farm survey, 2026 has seen higher input costs and lower output prices. The CSO reports on output prices and input costs on a monthly basis and my Department will continue to monitor their effects on farm income and viability. The Government recognises the exceptional pressures rising fuel costs place on farmers, contractors and fishermen and fisherwomen. A substantial support package has been put in place, with the full removal of all non-carbon excise on green diesel. The recent Government announcement of the further extension of the full excise rate until the end of August will provide reassurance and certainty to farm families and businesses.
In addition, I introduced the fuel income support scheme as a targeted income support to assist farmers and agricultural and forestry contractors facing unprecedented increases in fuel costs. I also put separate targeted schemes in place to support the fishery sector, which the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, has been administering, and the specialist horticultural grower sector, which the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, has been overseeing. In total, €100 million funding has been made available to support these agrifood and marine sectors and I expect payments under these schemes to commence in the coming weeks.
I thank the Minister. I fully accept that a huge amount of work has been done over the last three to four months, especially in relation to fuel costs. The issue we are now looking at over the next 12 months is the fertiliser cost increase in view of the conflict in Ukraine and also the fact that while on the one hand, we thought the conflict in the Middle East was at an end, it now appears to be resurrecting itself again and, therefore, there is concern about increased costs in relation to fuel, electricity and fertilisers. In relation to fertilisers, in particular, we have the carbon border adjustment mechanism, which applies to a carbon-related charge in imported carbon-intensive products, including fertilisers. There are going to be additional costs for the farming community over the next 12 months. The question is about how we need to plan for that. I know it changes day by day and I fully accept that. The challenges are there and, as the Minister said already, there is a substantial decrease in relation to incomes and consistency in production. That needs to be taken into account as well.
Deputy Burke's points are well made. I can assure him and the House of one thing, which is that there will be no complacency from me or my colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in terms of the price pressures this has on all of our sectors. Our sectors are very vulnerable. As I pointed out in my earlier answer, we had a good year, by and large, in terms of commodity prices for our products last year, but it is the input costs that can really get people when something like this happens. We saw it with the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia back in 2022 and the knock-on impact that had on energy costs and input costs for farmers, which was significant.
Commissioner Hansen has put forward a support package on the fertiliser side. The fuel impact was real and immediate. The fertiliser impact was real too; it is just that there is a lag with that. In allowing for that impact and not knowing where we will be in the autumn as well, there will be an allocation of €15 million under the fertiliser support scheme from the Commission. I am working through the opportunities to try to add to that and how we would do that with a mechanism that would be real for farmers. I reassure the Deputy that I am in no way complacent and absolutely determined to support farmers through this very challenging time.
Another area of real concern is tillage, where there is a decrease in those involved. It is very intensive. This is again an issue with costs, especially for vegetables. For instance, about three years ago I heard of carrots being imported from Israel, yet we cannot produce them here in a cost-effective way while giving a return to the growers. One area we have let slip completely is vegetable production in this country. We are now reliant on vegetables being imported from outside of Ireland. Only a very small number of people are in it now. We need to look at how to keep them in it and increase the number of people who are producing vegetables here.
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.
12. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the progress of CAP negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50992/26]
I ask the Minister to provide an update on the progress of CAP negotiations. The future of CAP will be critical for the farming sector and there are significant concerns about the European Commission's proposals.
I thank Deputy O'Hara for his question. Negotiations on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy have progressed since the European Commission published its proposals last year. As President of the Council of the European Union, Ireland is now building on the progress made under the Danish and Cypriot Presidencies. Our priority is to facilitate discussions on the remaining political and technical issues, on the CAP-specific provisions transferred into the CAP regulation from the national and regional partnership plan regulation, and on the appropriate balance that must be struck between maintaining the common nature of the Common Agricultural Policy and providing member states with sufficient flexibility to design and implement interventions that reflect their national farming systems and circumstances. That is a challenge we are going to have to try to navigate in these discussions.
It sounds nearly contradictory that on the one hand we want protect the commonality of the Common Agricultural Policy - our farmers have greatly benefited from being part of the Common Market of over 450 million people - but at the same time in designing a new scheme, if every measure is mandatory and if it is one-size-fits-all for every member state, it takes no account of the fact that we farm differently in Ireland than they do another member states, and we need that flexibility. I have been warned to be careful about how much flexibility I ask for because I might just get it and then have to own every decision. However, I would prefer that to having a system where every rule is the same for us as it is in Slovenia, France, Spain or Italy because we farm differently. We have to strike that balance.
To support this work, Ireland is engaging bilaterally with all member states to better understand their priorities, identify the issues that are of greatest concern to them and clarify areas of the legislative proposals where further work is required. We have also invited member states to submit written comments on the legislative proposals. This engagement will inform the preparation of Presidency compromise texts, with the aim of building consensus, resolving outstanding issues and advancing negotiations.
Our objective is to advance negotiations towards a partial general approach on the CAP regulation, which essentially means to agree all elements that do not have a financial or budgetary component that is still to be resolved by the negotiations on the post-2027 EU budget, which will be finalised at Head of State and Government level in the European Commission.
There are significant concerns about the reform that is being proposed to have CAP sit alongside a range of other policy areas. In particular under the Commission's proposal, CAP funding for Ireland would be cut by over 20%. This would mean our indicative CAP allocation reducing by €2.5 billion, endangering the delivery of many payment schemes which family farms depend on. Of course, this comes at a time when farmers are facing higher input costs, increased volatility, rising obligations and increased competition from low-standard imports, including from the Mercosur countries. We need the Government to be categorical in its opposition to cuts. Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council must be used as an opportunity to set the agenda that threats to CAP funding will not be accepted. Will the Minister outline what actions he will take to oppose the Commission's proposals and ensure that CAP funding is protected?
What is fairly clear from all utterances in the 17-odd months I have been in this job is my strong desire to protect the CAP budget, building alliances with member state colleagues in the AGRIFISH Council but also here in government and at Cabinet, articulating exactly why the CAP is so important to us. Ireland is a net contributor to the EU; we pay in more than we get back. That is something we should be proud of as a nation. We took the structural funds in the early years of being members of the EEC and we built an economy, a country and a society here that can be prosperous enough for us to be a net contributor. It is something we should be proud of. Those in certain other member states tell me they strive for that and look forward to the day their economies have such success that that is where they are at. We obviously want to maximise our return from being members of the European Union. There are huge benefits from being a member of that Common Market with over 450 million people.
On the financial return, 75% of our receipts come back through the CAP. This is not just a matter for us here discussing agriculture and for people in rural areas. This matters to the whole economy because if we see a reduction in CAP, it will reduce the amount of money available to come back to the economy from Europe.
Absolutely, and that is why it is critical we get a fair allocation. In particular, the future of CAP will have a significant influence on how EU member states can support young farmers. Last year, the Department of agriculture published a report from the commission on generational renewal in farming. Have any actions have taken since the publication of those recommendations? I will focus on two recommendations: the introduction of the young farmer establishment payment and a generational renewal payment of up to €25,000 for older farmers. Both those recommendations would have a significant effect in encouraging more young people to become involved in farming. They provide an incentive for families to create succession plans. I ask the Minister for an update on any actions he has taken to progress these recommendations and more generally in terms of supporting younger farmers.
It is important to point out that we are talking about the Commission's proposals. Commissioner Hansen put forward the Commission's position last year as to how he would like to see the next CAP going. He has a lot of recommendations in that. My job, as part of the Presidency, is to progress the Council's position on the AGRIFISH Council for next six months. The Council is the 27 ministers for agriculture and fisheries across the EU and we will progress what our agreed position is. Our goal is to get a partial general approach agreed - the bits that do not involve the budget. If we do not have the budget agreed globally, we cannot agree the budget elements in that. However, if we have a partial general approach, we have a fair set on what the Council of Ministers say their proposals should be.
We have had the discussion on pension proposals and generation renewal. That was looking to mandatorily take the single farm payment from farmers who receive the State pension. It is not an issue for France because France does not pay it to them already. It is a huge issue for us because we have many farmers who do not have an identified successor and we would be taking a single farm payment from them. That has been moved from being mandatory. Our position is that we are going to have that as a voluntary position to be offered but not mandatory.
13. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider decoupling funding for greyhound and horseracing industries; if he will commission a report on the economic viability of the greyhound racing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52289/26]
I thank Deputy Ní Raghallaigh for being in for agriculture questions today. It is great to see her here for this.
A very important pillar of Government policy is to ensure the horse and greyhound racing industries achieve their maximum potential, and in so doing, contribute to economic and social development over a wide geographic distribution. The Deputy is well aware that our own constituency of Kildare South benefits greatly from employment levels and economic activity in this regard.
Government funding, in addition to supporting these key industries, presents an excellent opportunity to yield a high return for its investment, leading to a flow of income right through the economy, thereby providing widespread benefits for our society. For the horse and greyhound fund, this is economic activity that generally tends to happen in rural areas where there are not the same other employment opportunities as there are in the larger cities and beyond. The horse and greyhound racing industries, via Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, and Rásaíocht Con Éireann, RCE, receive financial support from the State through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. In budget 2026, €99.1 million was allocated to the fund, of which €79.3 million will be allocated to HRI and €19.8 million to RCE. The allocation is subject to Oireachtas approval and is split 80:20 between HRI and RCE, respectively, as set out under section 12(6) of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001. I have no plans to introduce legislation to provide a separate Exchequer funding mechanism for HRI and RCE and the industries they support.
An independent review of my Department's governance of the fund, which included consideration of the efficacy of the fund in ensuring the highest standards of greyhound and equine welfare, has now been completed and a copy of the final report has been sent to the public accounts committee. One of the report’s key recommendations is to increase over the medium term the share of the fund ringfenced for welfare purposes. My Department will work with the bodies to implement this and other recommendations contained in the report over the coming months. A copy of the report is available on my Department’s website, under review of governance of horse and greyhound racing fund Ireland.
In July 2021, Jim Power Economics produced a report on the economic and financial significance of the Irish greyhound racing industry, which was also commissioned by RCE.
Public funding should be earned through transparency, and given the evidence on welfare, declining attendance and serious questions about the industry's economic case, that transparency is clearly lacking. The figures repeatedly cited by Government that greyhound racing contributes €132 million annually are at best unclear, and at worst, misleading. The figure includes hare coursing, which Government states is now said to account for €70 million. Presenting them together creates confusion and inflates the value of the greyhound industry itself. We need clarity. What does the greyhound racing industry bring in on its own, what does it actually contribute, what does it cost the State each year and how exactly are those figures being calculated?
The lack of transparency is mirrored in welfare outcomes. Of the 12,766 greyhounds born between 2021 and 2024 that are no longer racing or trialling and remain on this island, 66% of those are dead and only 22% have been rehomed. For every dog homed, three are dead. There is also the hidden cost of the volunteers across this State that are rescuing and rehoming these dogs. How many thousands of unpaid hours is this, and where is that accounted for?
I thank the Deputy. As regards the economic and employment impact and benefit of the greyhound racing industry, this is outlined in the economic and financial significance of the Irish greyhound racing industry report.
I concur on the importance of care and welfare. A strong commitment to improve animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry is set out in the programme for Government, which requires Rásaíocht Con Éireann to continue to provide financial support for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, IRGT, and to contribute to rehoming greyhounds. Since 2020, my Department has ringfenced 10% of the fund allocation to RCE for welfare, including integrity. A key priority of the board of RCE is the continued expansion of the welfare and care initiatives, which include a range of measures. In its approved budget for 2026, RCE allocated €5.6 million to regulatory care and welfare expenditure. The RCE allocation to traceability, care and welfare matters for quarter 1 of 2026, was €1.1 million.
We have heard over and over about where the funding is going, the measures in place and the traceability system but I would like to focus on whether the level of public spending is justified by clear independent evidence. At present, I do not see that is, with over €20 million allocated each year on the basis of unclear figures and an economic case that does not stand up to proper scrutiny.
The Minister mentioned the Jim Power report. That report is now outdated and methodologically flawed, which only reinforces the concern. The problem is compounded by the fact greyhound racing figures are embedded within the wider horse racing structure, making genuine scrutiny difficult. At a time when the public expects strong governance and real transparency, I do not feel this is good enough. It comes down to the very straightforward point that if the funding is justified, how can we prove it? Will the Aire commit to commissioning an independent report on the true cost and value of this industry?
The Deputy answered her own question in a way at the start by saying we have heard all these things about traceability and beyond. I can outline what is there, the fact we have undertaken a review of the fund and how it is done. That report is there for all to be seen.
Rásaíocht Con Éireann operates a range of welfare initiatives to ensure the high standards of greyhound welfare are maintained within the industry. These initiatives include greyhound care centres, which provide high quality accommodation and training to help greyhounds to adapt to a range of different home environments and foster care centres, which provide care and welfare for retired greyhounds awaiting transportation to their forever homes in the United States or other locations. Foster care centres are also used where RCE forms the view that the care and welfare of greyhounds in a person's control is not of the required standard. We also have a traceability system, the RCETS, which is operational and provides traceability for all microchipped racing greyhounds from 1 January 2021, together with all active greyhounds in the racing management system. Data from the RCETS at the end of quarter 1 of 2026 indicated a total of 64,486 greyhounds were subject to traceability. This data is constantly being updated and captured.
