Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture Martin Kenny is calling on the Minister for Agriculture not to treat family farm schemes as “pre-election stunts”.

It comes after Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue’s announcement that he intends to establish a commission on generational renewal in farming.

Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy and Claire Kerrane had previously tabled legislation in the Dáil to establish a commission on the future of family farming earlier this year.

Reacting to the announcement, Kenny said “the difficulties facing smaller, family farmers” is something he hears on a weekly basis.

“They want to stay in the sector, but it has to be viable. There is no point in examining generational renewal within farming if it does not lead to a wide-ranging plan that will save the family farm.”

Commission

The Sinn Féin spokesperson believes the policy put forward by his colleagues provides a path that will resolve problems around the viability of family farms with “real meat on the bones” solutions.

“Our legislation is there and it has the ability to provide a way forward,” added Kenny.

“This Government has taken a policy for a commission on family farming and reduced it to nothing but a token gesture just months from a general election.

“Farmers deserve better than pre-election stunts.”