Speaking at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the weekend on Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
• Unfortunately there are many unknowns in the Agriculture, food and fisheries sector right now with Brexit . Fears are rife that our beef industry will be decimated in a no deal brexit – with reports of UK plan to open their market to South American beef ... Our farmers, Marts, Exporters and Kepak factory in Roscommon are all hugely concerned.
• Our agri food industry could face its greatest challenge yet - as The UK is Ireland’s largest export destination for agri-food products with exports valued at €5.2 billion in 2017. Fianna Fail Deputy Lisa Chambers rightly stressed this week that Government must ensure that sufficient contingency plans, including a financial aid package, are in place to insulate our beef and agri-food industry in as much as feasibly possible from the fall out of Brexit”.
• It is absolutely critical that financial aid packages are provided to support our beef, lamb, pig, dairy and agri-food industry in the case of a no deal brexit.
• It is also vital that we plan for the future and support the development of new Agri Food businesses through innovations like 10 Food incubation units at Castlerea food hub allocated over €1.5 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund last week with match funding from Roscommon county Council . My Colleague Cllr. Paschal Fitzmaurice was highly involved with this project with Enterprise Castlerea and I was delighted as part of the Fianna Fail /Independent led Council to support the raising of a loan to provide match funding for this and other projects that will see our county develop sustainably.
• High quality, traceable products are hallmarks of the Agri food industry in Ireland. Castlemine Farm, Roscommon who won the 2019 Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards last week for the best bacon in Ireland is one such example.
• High quality local produce are great exports and are also a great added attraction to discerning tourists. We need to develop the potential of agri tourism and eco tourism with Walks schemes and other initiatives and support again the small family farm which is at the heart of rural communities.
• I would like to see a Glas scheme introduced to encourage and support the planting of hedgerows, natural habitats, planting of native broadleaved tree species and orchards and a grow Irish campaign. This would help support biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions, reduce food miles and enhance rural tourism. With one in four species threatened with extinction according to the Living Planet 2018 report – this is a critical issue for every human being and for every political party.
• Roscommon in Ireland’s hidden Heartlands is surrounded by Rivers and Lakes I want to see a programme put in place to clean our fisheries of weeds and fallen trees to support the navigation and fishing of these waterways. And I want to see the removal of the legacy IFI, Midland coarse fishing permit on the River Suck in counties Roscommon and Galway which is a barrier to the development of angling tourism.
• Unfortunately there are many unknowns in the Agriculture, food and fisheries sector right now with Brexit . Fears are rife that our beef industry will be decimated in a no deal brexit – with reports of UK plan to open their market to South American beef ... Our farmers, Marts, Exporters and Kepak factory in Roscommon are all hugely concerned.
• Our agri food industry could face its greatest challenge yet - as The UK is Ireland’s largest export destination for agri-food products with exports valued at €5.2 billion in 2017. Fianna Fail Deputy Lisa Chambers rightly stressed this week that Government must ensure that sufficient contingency plans, including a financial aid package, are in place to insulate our beef and agri-food industry in as much as feasibly possible from the fall out of Brexit”.
• It is absolutely critical that financial aid packages are provided to support our beef, lamb, pig, dairy and agri-food industry in the case of a no deal brexit.
• It is also vital that we plan for the future and support the development of new Agri Food businesses through innovations like 10 Food incubation units at Castlerea food hub allocated over €1.5 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund last week with match funding from Roscommon county Council . My Colleague Cllr. Paschal Fitzmaurice was highly involved with this project with Enterprise Castlerea and I was delighted as part of the Fianna Fail /Independent led Council to support the raising of a loan to provide match funding for this and other projects that will see our county develop sustainably.
• High quality, traceable products are hallmarks of the Agri food industry in Ireland. Castlemine Farm, Roscommon who won the 2019 Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards last week for the best bacon in Ireland is one such example.
• High quality local produce are great exports and are also a great added attraction to discerning tourists. We need to develop the potential of agri tourism and eco tourism with Walks schemes and other initiatives and support again the small family farm which is at the heart of rural communities.
• I would like to see a Glas scheme introduced to encourage and support the planting of hedgerows, natural habitats, planting of native broadleaved tree species and orchards and a grow Irish campaign. This would help support biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions, reduce food miles and enhance rural tourism. With one in four species threatened with extinction according to the Living Planet 2018 report – this is a critical issue for every human being and for every political party.
• Roscommon in Ireland’s hidden Heartlands is surrounded by Rivers and Lakes I want to see a programme put in place to clean our fisheries of weeds and fallen trees to support the navigation and fishing of these waterways. And I want to see the removal of the legacy IFI, Midland coarse fishing permit on the River Suck in counties Roscommon and Galway which is a barrier to the development of angling tourism.
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