Generational renewal is critical for the future of Irish agriculture, Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara has said.
He was speaking after a recent visit to Athenry Mart alongside Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty, where many farmers they spoke to feared for the future of Irish farming, particularly given the lack of young people entering the sector.
Louis O’Hara said that generational renewal is key for the social, economic and environmental sustainability of rural areas, and for the future of agriculture.
“The fact that one in three Irish farmers are over the age of 65 highlights how big a threat this is to rural Ireland,” he said.
“A huge issue which must be addressed is land-grabbing by corporate entities, who are locking young people out of farming and rural areas.
“If this is allowed to continue, we will see the price of land rocket further, see further corporatisation and unsustainable industrial intensification of agriculture and forestry, and family farms disappearing.”
O’Hara said the EU and the Government need to explore all options on the table to give priority to family farmers as well as new and young farmers to ease access to land.
“More state support is needed to ensure land mobility to nurture generational renewal.
“It is critical to the future of Irish agriculture and is the very least we can do to guarantee a future for young farmers.”
