Danny Healy-Rae warns land buys, solar farms threaten food security
Danny Healy-Rae criticised state land purchases and the conversion of productive farmland to solar arrays, arguing these trends endanger food security and rural livelihoods. He told the minister that food security is of paramount importance and warned that farmers are being driven from production while wildlife and new land uses spread risks.
Danny Healy-Rae invoked global hunger and Ireland's past famines to underline his point, noting reports that 750 million people are starving and recalling the 1840s when gardens failed even as meat was exported. He argued that beef, cattle and dairy production must be promoted to protect food security for young and old alike.
He raised concerns about recent reports that the State is buying land, saying purchases can block expansion by young farmers and push prices up. He said land bought and left unmanaged encourages deer, badgers and foxes, spreading TB, causing road deaths and vehicle damage, and cited 27,000 acres of a national park where wildlife control is limited.
He criticised the planting of good land with solar panels, saying farms that once ran up to 1,100 cows are being covered with panels in areas he named as Westcock, Eastcock and the Royal County of Mead. He said solar should be on shed roofs and commercial sites and argued farmers switch when they are not properly paid for produce.
He described farmers as being blamed and victimised for climate change and river pollution, and criticised advice to substitute tropical foods from abroad without recognising their carbon footprint. He noted anecdotal examples of people reducing beef consumption, and warned that beef, lamb and dairy are becoming scarcer as farmers give up and young people choose other work.
The minister replied that Ireland ranks second of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index and currently produces significantly more food than it consumes. The minister outlined that about 90% of Irish beef, sheep meat and dairy is exported, described the role of the EU single market and the Common Agricultural Policy in supporting food security, and referenced Food Vision 2030 and EU actions to reinforce resilience in food systems. He also set out agri-food statistics on income, exports and employment, and noted the sector's resilience amid energy price rises and supply disruptions.
Food security warning
Danny Healy-Rae invoked global hunger and Ireland's past famines to underline his point, noting reports that 750 million people are starving and recalling the 1840s when gardens failed even as meat was exported. He argued that beef, cattle and dairy production must be promoted to protect food security for young and old alike.
State land purchases and wildlife impacts
He raised concerns about recent reports that the State is buying land, saying purchases can block expansion by young farmers and push prices up. He said land bought and left unmanaged encourages deer, badgers and foxes, spreading TB, causing road deaths and vehicle damage, and cited 27,000 acres of a national park where wildlife control is limited.
Solar farms on productive land
He criticised the planting of good land with solar panels, saying farms that once ran up to 1,100 cows are being covered with panels in areas he named as Westcock, Eastcock and the Royal County of Mead. He said solar should be on shed roofs and commercial sites and argued farmers switch when they are not properly paid for produce.
Farmers under pressure and consumer choices
He described farmers as being blamed and victimised for climate change and river pollution, and criticised advice to substitute tropical foods from abroad without recognising their carbon footprint. He noted anecdotal examples of people reducing beef consumption, and warned that beef, lamb and dairy are becoming scarcer as farmers give up and young people choose other work.
Government response and sector context
The minister replied that Ireland ranks second of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index and currently produces significantly more food than it consumes. The minister outlined that about 90% of Irish beef, sheep meat and dairy is exported, described the role of the EU single market and the Common Agricultural Policy in supporting food security, and referenced Food Vision 2030 and EU actions to reinforce resilience in food systems. He also set out agri-food statistics on income, exports and employment, and noted the sector's resilience amid energy price rises and supply disruptions.
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Transcript
That's fine, I suppose. What I say to you Minister is food security is of paramount importance and we all know that if we don't eat, young and old, that you're not going to last very long and it's sad when we see other people and children indeed in all these war places starving. And we hear and we read that there are 750 million people in the world starving and yet we seem to be not doing our best to promote food, the growth of our beef and cattle and dairy industry like we should be. It's not that long ago, Minister, and we still remember it because we can see the ridges of gardens and the hillsides that were never dug because of the famine in the 1840s when the gardens failed. And we still were exporting beef and meat to England to pay the rent and they wouldn't forego that and many of our people starved and the ridges that were in the dog are still there to be seen. But the things that's bothering a lot of people now is the state seem to be buying up a lot of land. It's the Farmers Journal the other day that they're going to continue doing that. And all that's done with that land then, first of all it's bought against young farmers that want to expand and paying higher than normal prices for it. And this land is left to avoid then, encouraging more deer, more badgers and foxes. And, you know, even in Kerry we have 27,000 acres of a national park and to the lovely and all that, but there's no control on the world. And the deer are the badgers coming out of it, spreading TB, killing people on the roads, it's a fact, breaking cars, and there's no control on the world. The other thing that is happening, good land has been planted now with solar panels. And farms that were farming up to 1100 cows giving up and covering the place with solar panels. This is happening in Westcock, Eastcock and in the Royal County of Mead and it's a real worry. And, you see, I thought that solar panels were to be on shed roofs and agricultural or commercial. And I don't blame any farmer or landowner for switching if they hadn't been paid properly for their produce. And there should be some proper policy in it. Farmers are getting blamed then and feel victimised for climate change, for polluting rivers, for many of the different sectors. Including members in this chamber are victimising them and blaming them constantly. And advising us to eat other tropical type foods from South America and from different places. Do they realise that there's a carbon footprint in bringing up these things? Then one of our recent teachers, Quintus Farris, saying that he was doing his bit for climate change by reducing his beef consumption. Beef is expensive now because it's getting scarce and it's only proper and right that the farmers are being paid for their produce. And even the same with lamb is getting scarce. Dairy farmers are giving up. Young fellows see their friends work a five-day week, get holidays and don't have to be up all night calving cows. And they see that they have a better time and they're not going to stay at the grindstone like their fathers or their grandfathers did building up their big dairy herds. I have more, Minister. Thank you very much, Deputy. Well, Ireland is among the most food secure countries in the world and according to the latest Global Food Security Index, is ranked second of 113 countries assessed for food security. The resilience of the food supply chain was clearly demonstrated over the past number of years when dealing with the effects of Brexit and COVID-19. Currently, Ireland produces significantly more food than we consume. The agri-food sector is globally orientated with approximately 90% of Irish beef, sheep meat and dairy produce exported each year. As the Deputy is aware, Ireland is part of the EU single market and participates in the Common Agricultural Policy, which is the key mechanism for ensuring food security throughout Europe. The EU is largely self-sufficient for many agriculture products, but is a considerable net importer for specific products. The current geopolitical situation is challenging established assumptions on food security. The EU communication safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems sets out actions in three areas of security, stability and sustainability. The EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council of Ministers will continue to focus on these core areas and support the work of the European food security crisis preparedness and responsive mechanisms. The agri-food sector drives economic growth in every rural parish and county in Ireland, as the Deputy alluded to. It reaches from every corner of the country to global markets. It includes primary production in farming, fishing and forestry, and the processing and manufacture of food, beverages and wood products. Agri-food is Ireland's largest Indigenous exporting sector and accounts for 6 per cent of modified gross national income and 8.6 per cent of merchandising and exports in volume terms. The sector employs 169,300 people, representing 6.1 per cent of total employment, which translates to one in every 16 jobs and, of course, a far greater proportion in rural constituencies like our own. While the last few years have been challenging for the sector, as significant energy prices rise and supply chain disruptions fuel inflation and contribute to increased input prices and decreases in output prices, our farmers, fishers, processors and food businesses have demonstrated the resilience of the agri-food sector. Ireland's approach to delivering sustainable agriculture and food is set out in Food Vision 2030. Our shared stakeholder-led strategy for continuing development of the agri-food sector in Ireland. Its vision is for Ireland to be a world leader in sustainable food systems, encompassing environmental, economic and social sustainability. It was designed using a food systems approach, recognising the requirements to have greater policy coherence across agriculture, food and the environment, and the involvement of all the food system stakeholders. The centrality of primary producers in Food Vision recognises that economically sustainable farmers, fishers and forest owners are an integral part of our rural and coastal communities and of our natural environment and landscape. It recognises that healthy environments, ecosystems, communities and economies can grow together. Irish agri-food exports reached a record £19.1 billion in 2024, an increase of over 5¢ per value on the £18.1 billion achieved in 2023, an increase of one-third of value on the £4.8 billion achieved in 2020. This represents 40% of all exports from Irish-owned firms. With highly competitive global markets, the agri-food sector works hard to protect its reputation and continuously strives to innovate and maintain a level of competitiveness and resilience that has enabled it to prosper and develop in a globalised trading environment. Mr. Minister, thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you for being here this late night, but I say to you, you've thrown out a lot of figures there, and I don't, I'm not, my head isn't like a computer, but I can say to you honestly and truthfully here inside, you're going back in figures that have been up to now. But I'm worried about from here on, because as I told you, much land is being bought up and left, go idle. Much land is being planted, as I say, with solar panels. And I'd like to mention coastal communities and fishing. Our fishers are almost gone. They were paid to decommission. And when I mention here inside about pair trawling in Khmer Bay, nothing has been done or nothing will be done, because they've been completely cleaned out. I think of the times that I just go back along Tahle and look into the bay, Khmer River, and see the likes of Frankie Jim and Joe Jim and Donald Shea and all those fellas and the Bruins and the other fellas back along Schneem out in the bay day after day fishing their garden minister. I didn't get a mackerel with the last three years. The village has been full of them before. They're not to be had at all out of Khmer Bay. I said to you, there are too many schemes now promoting less production. With this protected urea, it would grow nothing, minister. And I said to you, a lot of the fertiliser that's growing, that you buy now, whatever has gone and taken out of it, it doesn't grow what it used to grow before. The other thing that I have to mention, minister, multinational supermarket companies have too much power. If they decide not to sell us this item or the other, we can challenge them with no small shops. They're all gone. And the worst thing that they're doing, they're insisting that suppliers, our farmers, have to allow them three months' credit. I'm asking you to look into that and see how is that fair. The farmers are actually bankrolling many of the supermarket companies and they have to wait to be paid. The farmers have to pay for the diesel oil, they have to pay for everything else they get and they can make their people wait for three months. That's not fair on our producers, minister. Thank you Deputy Healy. When Food Vision 2030 looks to protect and build an Ireland's global reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality, safe, sustainable food to consumers both at home and abroad, the figures that I quoted earlier, 90 per cent of what we produce is exported. Irish agri-food has been successful in accessing and developing new market opportunities both locally and in the international markets. Diversifying and developing markets will continue to be a priority. I know our new ministers are working very hard in this area. Food Vision aims for the sector to reach £21 billion in exports by 2030, with this growth driven by a steady growth in export value rather than volume. Food Vision recognises the challenges but also the opportunities and has a clear vision of Ireland being a world leader in sustainable food systems. The government continues to support farmers under the £9.8 billion cap strategic plan and via specific sectoral supports. It is very positive to see the Chagas National Farm Survey preliminary results estimate that the average farm income in 2024 rose by 87 per cent and that the 2025 income forecasts are also positive. I suppose they are real present day figures, Deputy Healy Ray. Food Vision provides a vision for a dynamic, sustainable and innovative agri-food sector ready to adapt and embrace to change for a more sustainable future. The point is that with Food Vision 2030, it is a strategic framework that Ireland's agri-food sector can work to achieve its ambition as a world leader in sustainable food systems. You have made a number of points here this evening. It is not my area of expertise, but I will relay the points that you have raised here this evening back to the relevant ministers in the Department of Agriculture. You have a direct line there yourself, so I have no doubt you will be raising it yourself also. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please. Thanks for your attention. Thanks for joining us. You will see the next question.