Speech by Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine at the 82ú Ard Fheis

A chairde Fianna Fáil, special guest Jim Bergin, members of the panel, Eamon, Paul, Jackie and chair Fiona,

 

It’s great to be here again today at a Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis as we prepare for Local and European elections and commence work on the final year of delivering on our five-year programme for government.  

 

Fianna Fáil is a party that always wants to be in government so that we can drive progress and continuously make a difference and that is what we have been continuing do since our Ard Fheis last October.  

 

As Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine I know the particular importance of holding this Ministry in Government because Fianna Fáil is the Farmers Party and I have ensured through hard work and delivery that we have been the Farmers Party in Government and we will continue to be.  

 

In opposition, we set out the policies we wanted to see delivered for farming families.   And we have gone about delivering - on and, in many cases, surpassing those commitments in government.

 • We promised €200 per suckler cow. That has been delivered.

• Also delivered is a doubling of funding to sheep farmers to €20 per ewe.

These are record payments. Delivered.

 

• The new Forestry programme now provides 20 years premiums to farmers, five more years than other interests.

 

For the first time ever, we have ensured that all farmers who applied to the new ACRES environmental scheme have been accepted meaning some 55,000 farmers are being paid for their environmental ambition – by taking part in our largest ever Agri environment scheme with payments to farmers increasing as a result of a 50% rise in funding.  

 

And in tandem with supporting farmers to continue their massively important role in food production, we have a range of innovative schemes, cutting edge research and funding in place that will help us to meet the 25% emissions reduction target for agriculture in the Climate Action Plan.

 

Water is a major priority for me with the retention of our Nitrates Derogation an objective I am absolutely focused on securing.  As well as working intensively with stakeholders, I also committed, with my colleague Minister Daragh O Brien, €60m to a water project that will drive change at farm level where it can really make a difference.

 

For CAP 2023-2027, 50% extra funding to support farmers has been delivered with Minister Michael McGrath.  Since last October, €1.8bn has been paid out to Irish farmers from this programme.

 

I traversed every county and corner of the country to deliver a CAP that was fair to all our regions and to all our farm families, no matter what their farm type or their farm size.  This money is flowing into our rural areas and will continue to flow annually as we complete the implementation of this programme.  

 

We are delivering on our commitments in terms of CAP payments and programme for Government commitments.

 

We are also delivering for rural Ireland when it is challenged unexpectedly - as it is right now with the weather.

 

This Government is proactively supporting farmers to manage their farms through this period.  

•     I committed over €100m to fodder supports over the last two years.  

•     This built-up stocks on farms meaning we don’t have a shortage in the country as we did when the weather hit hard in 2018 and 2013.

•     I have also taken action pausing non-essential inspections and tasking Teagasc with coordinating the movement of fodder supplies between farmers.

•     Then this week I introduced an economic support measure to facilitate the transport of fodder.

 

I am listening and I am acting. And I am aware of the major challenge facing our tillage sector.

 

Earlier this year following discussions with farm representatives, in support of farmers impacted by the weather in 2023, I paid out almost €14.3m to tillage farmers in the form of a flat rate payment as well as a €1,000/ha payment for farmers that were unable to harvest their crops.

But that is the past and I want to help give farmers confidence in planting in 2024.

 

So, I am making a commitment here today, that I will work to deliver financial support for every farmer that puts seed in the soil this year.

 

I know that our tillage farmers are looking at what is possible now as the weather continues to impact, I know that they fear for their yields.  Fianna Fáil is absolutely committed to increasing our tillage area and despite the restraints of my existing budget I will work to ensure the delivery of €100/hectare for tillage farmers who plant in 2024.

 

Many farmers feel maligned and like second class citizens. That is wrong and a narrative that must be stopped in its tracks.

 

I want to see farmers confident in what they do, proud in what they deliver and confident in the future of their industry.

 

I also want farmers confident and focused on why they should back Fianna Fáil to continue to be at the helm of Irish food production after the next election.  

This will boil down to the strong track record of delivery we will be putting before the people at the next election. Delivery that is continuing.

 

We will develop a strong manifesto and policy platform that will continue to drive Irish agriculture and food production forward. I traversed this country before to get the views of farmers and rural people and I will do that again and again to make sure I hear everyone’s views.

 

We will continue our work to ensure that Irish farming has a strong future at the forefront of the Irish economy and that Fianna Fáil continues as the farmers party in Government.

 

Fianna Fáil has also been working tirelessly in government to support our fishing sector and coastal communities.  We have focused on supporting the sector to come through Brexit and build for the future.    

 

I established a task force to bring fishing representatives together and chart the way to maximise the strength and value of our fisheries to our coastal communities.  

 

That Task Force Report recommended 16 different schemes and investments to support the sector. I have ensured that no dust has gathered on any aspect of those task force recommendations and have delivered on all 16 schemes.

 

I’m also working on a continuous basis at European level to ensure that we take every opportunity possible to deliver improved quota for our fisheries sector in Government.  

 

While working to ensure that our farming and fishing families are supported in every way possible to invest in their businesses through government policy and income opportunities, we have also taken the historic step to deliver legislation to establish a new Agri Food Regulator Office.

 

The new office is fully operational now and will ensure that our farmers and fishers get the fair play they deserve in the marketplace and get fair reward for the hard work they do each and every day on our behalf.  

 

I am confident this will make a real difference in the years ahead and once again represents the tangible delivery of Fianna Fáil in Government.  

We are also food exporters, and important exporters, to 140 countries globally. The superiority of our product deserves recognition on these international markets too. I have secured PGI status for our grass-fed beef, which presents huge value adding opportunities. I have reopened the Chinese market for Irish beef and am on the cusp of putting the first Irish beef on the 50m population South Korean beef market.

 

Fianna Fáil sees farming and fishing as being key drivers of our rural and regional economy.  But we are also investing to ensure that wider rural Ireland prospers into the future.  

 

The urban and rural regeneration funds are ensuring unprecedented investment, bringing our rural and regional towns and villages back to life.  We are delivering rural digital hubs across the country to drive forward the local economy and to ensure people from all professional backgrounds can work as well as live in rural areas.  

 

And we are backing rural residents to address the housing challenges being faced across the country.  

 

•     The help to buy scheme delivers €30,000 toward buying a first home by way of a tax refund.  

•     While the first home scheme means that the government can provide 30% equity to help people buy their first home at minimal interest rates.  

•     The vacant and derelict home grants provide - for the first time - €50k and €70k, helping turn run down properties across rural ireland into homes once again.

   

These supports apply whether you are building your new home in the countryside, beside your farm, or in a local town and village.  

 

Across the board we are working to make sure that rural and regional Ireland is backed in every way possible and to ensure it progresses strongly in all aspects.  

 

This is work we are determined to continue.  

 

I want to thank you as our members for your fantastic support in driving us on as a Party on this important work in Government.

 

Together we will continue to press forward and together we will work to ensure that Fianna Fáil continues to be at the heart of delivering for regional and rural Ireland, our farming and fishing families, and our local communities across this country in Government.

 

Thank you very much and I look forward to an interesting panel debate today.