Members of Macra na Feirme marched to the Dáil overnight. They are protesting because they are concerned about the future of rural Ireland and the future for young farmers. I was a member of Macra and I share their concerns. Young farmers are an endangered species. We know generational renewal is a massive issue but there are so many issues that need urgent action. It is not a false narrative that there is a chronic shortage of affordable housing, a chronic shortage of healthcare services and an almost complete absence of reliable public transport options. The viability of many farms is also under threat.

We know that climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face as a society and that farmers and rural communities will be among those most impacted by the damage caused by the climate crisis. Where is the support for farmers to help them withstand this existential threat? Government assistance is piecemeal, short term and threadbare. When will the Government take the issues facing rural Ireland seriously?

As I mentioned earlier, I look forward to meeting Macra representatives later this afternoon. We need more young farmers. We have lots of farmers in Ireland who are in their 60s and 70s often because they do not have a successor. I would be interested to hear from Macra representatives the ideas they have to improve succession because we need more young farmers. We are about to enter a decade of major change in agriculture and land use and we need young farmers to lead that. I look forward to talking to them about that today.

However, one thing I can assure the young farmers who are on their way to Dublin at the moment is that so long as this Government is in office, all the schemes and tax breaks that exist for young farmers will be protected. They do not have that guarantee from a left-led government.