The Irish tillage sector is in crisis. Two weeks ago, I attended a meeting of more than 1,000 farmers in Naas. They gathered not to protest but to plead for the survival of the tillage sector. Their message was loud and clear: they cannot continue without urgent, targeted financial support.

Poor grain prices, soaring input costs, reduced margins, regulation and the flooding of the Irish market with non-EU cereals are pushing Irish grain growers to the brink. Teagasc has confirmed tillage incomes will again fall in 2026. That is not a warning; that is a forecast for collapse. Farming organisations are united in calling for a €60 million per annum support package for the next five years to be delivered in budget 2026. That €60 million was promised in our election manifestos and that €60 million for the next five years will be a lifeline for the survival of the tillage sector. Without immediate and substantial commitments in the upcoming budget, many tillage farmers will be forced out of the sector.

The Taoiseach gave a commitment in his party's election manifesto and in the programme for Government to back the tillage sector. We cannot expect and accept the demise of a critical part of Irish agriculture.

Thank you, Deputy.

We cannot let this essential sector go the way of sugar beet. The upcoming budget is the next time to act before it is too late.

Thank you, Deputy. The Taoiseach is to respond. The Deputy's time is up.

If this also means money from the Minister, Deputy Chambers, it should be put into it.

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. I fully acknowledge the tillage sector is under significant pressure. I met with some individuals at the recent national ploughing championships and also met with the IFA in respect of the issue, as well as the ICMSA and other organisations.

Substantial support has been allocated by Government, including about €32.4 million under the tillage and horticulture support scheme in February of this year, which the Minister, Deputy Heydon announced. The budget for protein aid increased to €10 million annually from 2024, with an overall Common Agricultural Policy allocation of €47 million. The straw incorporation measure has an allocation of €50 million over five years. Approximately 66,000 ha of cereals in oilseed, rape and straw were submitted for incorporating in 2025 and all farmers will be paid who have applied under the scheme this year. Then there are other schemes like-----

Thank you, Taoiseach.

----- farming for water EIP, the tillage capital investment scheme, ACRES and the organic farming scheme. However, there are issues and we do not want to maintain that support.

Thank you, Taoiseach. He will have to go back to the Deputy.

The Taoiseach is not committing himself. I am disappointed.

I call Deputy Catherine Callaghan.

Will he commit to the €60 million promised in the Fianna Fáil manifesto?

There is a programme for Government. I do not announce budgets in advance.

The Deputy's time is up. The Taoiseach will resume his seat, his time is up.

Sorry?

The Deputy's ministerial colleague would not be happy if I announced the budget in advance.

He would not mind if the Taoiseach would say if he was committing the €60 million to next year's tillage sector. He would have no problem whatsoever.

Deputy Aird's time is up.