Willie Aird, Laois, Fine Gael

“I first stood for Portlaoise Town Commission in 1979, I was known on every doorstep, as we used to deliver fresh milk from our farm to the town.

“We are still dairy farming, having supplied Hughes Brothers, Premier Dairies, Waterford Co-op, Glanbia and now Tirlán.

“I milked this morning (Wednesday) before heading to the Dáil. I’m very happy with my vote as a first-time candidate, I had the seventh highest first percentage of votes in the country, ahead of the Healy-Raes. In 1927 my grandfather topped the poll as a first-time candidate, so it was nice to match his achievement. Mercosur came up a lot on doorsteps, as did support for tillage farmers and the nitrates derogation. And we can’t raid CAP to fund environmental schemes. Crime is a big issue, especially in rural areas.”

Ryan O’Meara, Tipperary north, Fianna Fáil

“Dad is from a dairy farm in Cloughjordan and mam is from a suckler farm in Toomevara, with uncles farming both farms still.

“Agriculture is of huge importance to me, especially after the last five years as parliamentary assistant working for the chair of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Jackie Cahill.

“Working for Jackie, I always had a pair of wellies in my boot and a spare pair of wellies in his boot, because you never knew when you would end up in a farmyard.

“An awful lot of my daily work has focussed on the issues affecting farming, so agriculture will be an absolute priority for me as a TD.

“Sitting on the agriculture committee is something I would definitely be interested in.”

Pete Roche, Galway east, Fine Gael

“I’m a part-time sheep farmer from Abbeyknockmoy. While farmers are getting reasonable value for their livestock, there’s always challenges coming down the line. There must be a proper buffer for situations in the future, where there is a level of uncertainty.

“TB is at it’s highest level for years and there are savage costs associated with testing and no reduction in vet costs. The value for our produce isn’t increasing at the same rate.

“A reasonable price for a beast is quickly absorbed at the other end.

“I want supports put in place to encourage sons and daughters of farmers into the sector.

“We need a review into calendar farming.”

Catherine Callaghan. \ Donal O' Leary

Catherine Callaghan, Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael

“Having served in avionics in the Air Corps, I returned to Kildavin and cared for my parents and my uncle.

“I took over the running of my uncle’s drystock farm and loved it, focussing on sheep.

“As someone not raised on a farm, but who stepped in to farming, I appreciate just how hard farmers have to work, how little they get back from the time they put in and how much volatility there is, completely outside their control.

“I wanted to give politics everything and have now leased the farm.

“I was struck by the fact I was the only rural-based candidate in Carlow.

“What’s good for rural Carlow and rural Kilkenny is good for everyone.”