Speech by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Irish Farmers' Association 69th AGM

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Dia dhaoibh a chairde, good evening. Happy New Year.

Tá lúcháir orm a bheith anseo libh ag Ionad Feirme na hÉireann don seasca naoú gCruinniú Ginearálta Bliantúil d’Fheirmeoirí Aontaithe na hÉíreann.

Buíochas as ucht an gcuireadh agus an fáilte.

It is great to be here with you at the Irish Farm Centre again this year for the sixty-ninth AGM of the Irish Farmers’ Association.

Thank you for the invitation to be here with you this evening and to all of you for the welcome you have extended to me. I hope it has been a good AGM so far.

January is always marked with the hope of a new year, of the new opportunities that lie ahead and of course, most importantly January is marked by the IFA AGM. An event now firmly in the Taoiseach’s diary. This year is no different.

Tim, this is your last AGM as outgoing President. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to this organisation and to the sector. IFA and the sector is better for you being President.

Our engagements, which there has been many over the last four years have always been professional if robust, open, and honest.

During your time in office, you have expressed the opinions, concerns, and hopes of your members effectively and persuasively, both here and in Brussels. Enjoy some well-deserved rest. Thank you.

Brian, after completing one of your final tasks as Returning Officer for the elections in December, your time as Deputy President comes to an end. Your work as Deputy President often done quietly, sometimes not so quietly was done always with the best interest of the members at heart. Thank you.

Congratulations to your new President, Francie [Gorman]. Speaking with some experience of elections, this is a very proud achievement for you, your family, and your home county of Laois. I look forward to our engagements in the months ahead.

Likewise, congratulations to Alice [Doyle] on your election as Deputy President, as you become the Association’s first female Deputy President.

The contribution that women make to agriculture, alongside the distinct challenges they face, are not often fully recognised.

Your election is part of a welcome, growing trend of women leaders in the sector.

When I was here last year I spoke of Brexit, the pandemic, inflation, and a war in Europe. So much has changed and much has not. Unfortunately, we are still in the midst of unprecedented global events with the ongoing and worrying conflict in the middle east. These are events few could have predicted, the effects are being felt through all sectors of our society and economy, not least in agriculture.

Despite this, what has not changed, and I believe will never change, is farming’s place in our economy and society. The success of the sector does not happen by chance – it is based on your hard work, and on your commitment and dedication to your communities and to your farms.

Despite many obstacles, including extraordinary price volatility, Irish agriculture has been performing well and the overall outlook remains positive. It remains positive because of you. Time and time again farmers, fishers, foresters, processors, and food businesses have continued to demonstrate the strength and resilience of the sector.

We have just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Ireland joining the EU. A significant development for our country and our agriculture sector. Today our economy is more diversified, and export focused than in the 1970s with many more opportunities.

We have become genuine global leaders in the agriculture sector, with a well-deserved reputation for high-quality agricultural produce and practices. You play an important role in providing the kind of high-quality food that we in Ireland tend to take for granted.

As you know, the agri-food sector is Ireland’s largest indigenous exporting industry. The sector employs almost 165,000 people, representing 7% of total employment in the country, and a far greater proportion in rural counties where other sources of employment are more limited.

You export your quality produce to over 180 markets worldwide as Minister Heydon continues to open up new ones.

It is a successful and thriving sector, which we are rightfully proud of, and one whose future success I am firmly committed to.

In December Minster McConalogue announced the establishment of An Rialálaí Agraibhia – The Agri-Food Regulator. As you know this new independent authority will be chaired by former IFA President, Joe Healy, a worthy appointment.

It will bring fairness and transparency to the agricultural and food supply chain.

The establishment of the Regulator will protect our Agri-food suppliers, in particular, our farmers, and small food businesses, from unlawful and unfair trading practices.

I know that there has been much discussion of the Nitrates Directive and derogation over the last few months.

It’s something I have had to learn a lot about.

Our meeting with the Commissioner gave us the opportunity to relay your concerns to him. It was a robust meeting but a useful one. We did not get the outcome we wanted but we did get a clear pathway for the future.

The bottom line is that the lack of improvement in water quality is a problem for all of us. Agriculture is not solely responsible, we have work to do in areas like waste treatment too, but it is a significant part of the picture.

It is still my view that having the Commissioner visit Ireland back in November was important. Important because we must do everything in our power now over the next two years to build a credible case for the retention of the derogation.

I believe we can do so and I am committed to that, as is the government.

President, I believe climate change is the single greatest threat facing us today. The nature of the climate crisis is unlike any other challenge that we have faced. It requires a rethink of how we work, travel, use our land, heat our homes and source our energy.

The recent severe flooding in Cork, Waterford, Louth, and Down and the tornado in Leitrim is an unfortunate reminder that Ireland is far from immune when it comes to extreme weather events.

It is warmer and drier than before, and we are seeing more severe weather events happen more frequently. Weather events that are having a devastating impact on our communities and many people’s livelihoods.

If we are to succeed in rising to this challenge head on, and I believe we will, it will require new approaches, new ways of doing things and an openness to a significant amount of change. We cannot wish this away or pretend it doesn’t affect us. Nor can we say it is up to other countries to act. They won’t if we don’t and our emissions per head are among the highest in the world and have been for decades.

However, as I have said before, I want you to know that the agricultural sector will not be asked to bear a disproportionate burden of climate change mitigation. That would not be fair.

And I believe that you must be at the heart of any solutions. Irish agriculture is far too important to our economy and to our society for anything else. I want farmers to be part of the solution not blackguarded or climate shamed.

As you know, there are sectoral emission targets for every sector: for energy, industry, transport, and buildings. At 25% the scale of the challenge for Irish farming and agriculture is significant. I don’t underestimate what it is asking of the sector. However, I know that you can and will rise to the challenge.

I believe we can make the necessary changes, while at the same time protecting and growing farm incomes, and adding new streams of income, such as energy production, carbon farming, forestry, organics and agritourism.

So, we need to accelerate the availability and take up of more sustainable options, such as making best use of chemical and organic fertilisers, maximizing our natural advantage from grasslands, and improving animal breeding and feeding.

I know that you have been taking actions for many years to reduce your carbon footprint, increase biodiversity and improve water quality. Of course, agriculture is only part of the picture. Every sector will have to adapt and make changes to reduce our emissions.

Our housing stock, our industry, big and small, our transport network road, rail, shipping and aviation, our energy system, the whole of Irish society will have to end its reliance on fossil fuel. This means system change.

Government will continue to lead the way by promoting and implementing solutions and ensuring the transition is as fair and just as possible.

I believe the pathway to higher incomes and greater income stability for farmers can come from many sources-government grants, food production, forestry, energy generation, carbon farming and agritourism.

We need to protect them all.

The new Forestry Programme and the funding behind it is an important message that the government views forestry as a significant opportunity for farmers.

This commitment will give certainty to those involved in the forestry sector for the years ahead. We need to plant millions of trees - 400 million by 2040 in fact.

And we need more new homes, so we need more farmers planting trees to allow us build these new homes with timber rather than concrete.

President, the government is focused on delivering for rural Ireland and farmers.

Ireland was one of the leading EU member states in the last round of negotiations to advocate protecting the CAP budget in the wake of Brexit and the hole created in the EU’s budget by the UK’s departure. I continue to do so.

The EU Commission is already working on proposals for a new CAP after 2027. As in the reform of 2013, an Irish EU Presidency will be in the driving seat in the second half of 2026.

We need to make sure that we are represented by politicians who are pro-Europe and have the experience and credentials needed for success. We have nothing to gain from inexperience on Merrion Street or in Brussels in the year ahead, only risk.

While it is not possible to know what a new CAP will look like after 2027, we can be absolutely certain that there will be a focus on climate and the environment. There must also be a focus on food security and price stability. We don’t talk about this enough, in my opinion. We should not take it for granted.

Colleagues, I can assure you that Ireland will again argue for a well-funded CAP to protect farm incomes and the family farm, and that we will work closely with the IFA and others in doing so.

As we begin this year, and this new chapter for the IFA under Francie and Alice, I know you will continue to advocate fiercely for the future of agriculture.

While it might not always seem this way to you, I can assure you that this government will continue to speak up for you, in the Dáil, in the media and in Europe.

So, thank you again for the inviting me to speak at your AGM.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.