Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is entirely right to call out the scare tactics that are applied in relation to farmers and agriculture. It is going on for far too long. Farmers have mental health, well-being and a livelihood. They have a family. They have a mortgage to pay, like everybody else in this country. People in this House speak about farmers in a way they would not speak about any other sector of the Irish economy. It has to stop. They do it for reasons of populism rather than reasons of science. Climate change is real and climate action is needed. Farmers need to change. They know it and they do not need a lecture from people who have never been on a farm in respect of how to make progress. I agree with the Deputy on this issue.

As regards the Agriland article and survey today, I am concerned because I believe it is entirely possible to continue to produce good, high-quality food in this country and save our planet, which is on fire. When one is elected to Government, one has to do more than one thing at a time. One does not have to set up straw man arguments that it is a choice of being on the side of the farmer or the side of the plant; one has to support both.

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