Fine Gael TD for Wicklow/East Carlow and Chairman of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Andrew Doyle has said that working towards equal distribution of income for farmers, is the next step in supporting agriculture.
“The last five years have been a period of real progress with significant investment in modernising and supporting agriculture.
“Since 2010, the value of agri-food exports has increased by 50%, rising to almost €11 billion for the first time last year, but we know that the income of primary producers has not kept pace with others on the food chain.
“The strategy for the next decade, Foodwise 2025, aims to increase overall exports to €19 billion by 2025, creating 23,000 additional jobs. However, as part of this development, we need to work towards ensuring a more equal distribution of the value of produce.
“It is Fine Gael’s ambition to make Ireland the highest quality food producing nation in the world and we are well on the way to achieving this as we are exporting to 175 different markets. In order to do this, we are relying on young farmers to get involved and these farmers have every right to expect to earn a good living.
“Fine Gael has consistently prioritised young farmers. A top-up for young farmers in the Basic Payment Scheme was delivered in CAP, a more favourable capital investment rate is available to young farmers under TAMS and the taxation system has been adapted to encourage land mobility and succession. A new Family Transfer Partnership initiative was delivered in the most recent budget worth up to €25,000 in tax credits to farm families.
“All of these supports for farmers are very welcome and are making a difference. Not so long ago, Fianna Fáil, were talking about how many Irish Agricultural Colleges would have to close and now Agricultural colleges are full. We need to do more however, to ensure that these young farmers entering the sector, as well as existing farmers, get equal value for their produce.
“Fine Gael recognises that without the primary producer, there would be agriculture sector in Ireland. This Government successfully negotiated the reformed Common Agriculture Policy, securing €12.5 billion in funds for Irish Agriculture. Government now invests €300 million in taxation measures to support greater land mobility and productivity. A new tax credit and reduced USC rate were recently introduced to support the viability of family farms. New regulations to tackle unfair practices in the grocery trade have also been introduced.
“Fine Gael has a plan for farming in Ireland. We want to support smart, sustainable, profitable, safe family farming and we want to make work pay for farmers by abolishing USC during the term of the next Government so that we can invest in vital services in Wicklow and all parts of the country.”
Fine Gael TD for Wicklow/ East Carlow, Andrew Doyle, has welcomed the announcement of €1million funding for a new library for Wicklow Town allocated by the Department of the Environment. This is part of a €22 million investment by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in some 16 library capital developments and the main streaming of the Open Libraries initiative.