The combined speeches by the proposer and seconder shall be 16 minutes, all other Senators shall have six minutes and then the Minister can make a contribution at the end.

I call Senator Boyhan.

I move:

“That Seanad Éireann:

acknowledges that:

- the United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF);

- only 13 per cent of farms in Ireland are owned by women;

- women make up 41 per cent of the global agri-food workforce; despite this, they often have a lack of access to land, finance, technology and training;

- women play an essential role in agri-food systems, for which they do not receive enough recognition, and the United Nations (UN) is trying to address this;

- Ireland is co-sponsor of the IYWF at the UN General Assembly, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is supportive of this initiative;

- empowering women in the agri-food trade leads to positive outcomes - hunger diminishes, dietary diversity increases, incomes grow, and households are more resilient to shocks; and it is estimated that by empowering women in agriculture, food insecurity could be reduced for 45 million people;

- closing gender gaps and empowering women in agriculture intersects with issues in relation to food poverty, malnutrition, education access and economic deprivation;

notes that:

- the UN is playing an important role in helping to uphold international standards in relation to gender equality;

- Ireland is committed to supporting the UN as an institution;

- the Programme for Government recognises the need to do more on gender equality - gender equality is a key objective of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and a core principle of the European Union, and the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations place particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the socio-economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming;

- the Programme for Government already contains commitments: to examine potential barriers for women farmers within the taxation system; to implement the National Women in Agriculture Action Plan; to support gender equality including promote female succession; and to liaise with the Revenue Commissioners to address any taxation barriers to female participation;

- a number of further IYWF events are planned and will be announced shortly;

- work has progressed on the Women in Agriculture Action Plan and a final report will be available later this year;

calls on the Government to:

- reaffirm its commitment to the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer;

- extend a nationwide campaign to inform civil society of the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer;

- promote the rights of women to address concerns around farm succession, examine the impediments by adding a wife or partner to a farm property and increase their participation in agriculture;

- launch an education campaign to promote women in agriculture with an aim of incorporating it into school and university curriculums; and

- introduce funding, resources and targeted schemes to enable greater involvement of women in agriculture and associated activities.”

As you outlined, a Chathaoirligh, we have 16 minutes. I will take 15 minutes and Senator McDowell will take a minute.

Senator McDowell, with his huge knowledge of agriculture. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Thank you. I welcome the Minister to the House. He is no stranger to me and I hope I am no stranger to him. I thank him for coming to deal with this motion. I want to set the context that the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. That is a very significant designation and we have been talking about it at the agriculture committee for the last 12 months. It is a global initiative that aims to increase awareness of the crucial role women play in the agri-food system and more specifically in food security, nutrition and poverty eradication.

I acknowledge the programme for Government of 2025 recognises the need to do more on gender equality across society. Gender equality objectives in the UN sustainable development goals are core principles of the European Union. My motion seeks to focus on the promotion of the role of women in rural development, farming and food production. It is important we fully implement the national women in agriculture action plan to recognise the role of women in farming. I thank the Minister and acknowledge he commissioned the HER-SELF research project on women in agriculture, which is a very significant document and a very significant collaboration by women involved in agriculture. The outcome of the recommendations of that project which the Minister promoted and established also established for us all a baseline position on women in agriculture and provide for us an evidence base to inform policy in this area. I pay tribute to the amazing work of Rooted in Strength: Women, Climate and Food Justice, a celebration of the role of woman farmers organised by An Talamh Beo, which means living land, a member-led organisation of farmers, growers and land-based workers pursing change to food and agriculture systems in Ireland. From small horticulturists to beef, pork and sheep farmers and producers of milk, cheeses and yoghurt, all are committed to producing and selling healthy, nutrient-dense food grown in harmony with our environment. In Ireland approximately 90% of food, mainly dairy products and beef, is produced for export. That is something we can celebrate and be proud of. However, it is estimated about 80% of food on the Irish market is imported. Big agriculture, with its focus on livestock and grazing, is only part of the story of agriculture and food production in Ireland and indeed across the EU. Women farmers are renowned for introducing diversity to farming and that is a critical point I want to acknowledge as part of this debate on the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer.

Farm succession is perhaps one of the biggest issues when it comes to women entering agriculture, or certainly one of the biggest issues when it comes to access to the farm. Farm succession planning is critical for the transfer of the family farm. Transfer of ownership of the farm is about more than land, as the Minister well knows. It is also about transferring skills, knowledge and labour to ensure the continuation of the agricultural enterprise. There are many tax liability challenges Government needs to address for the transfer of the family farm to be fair and successful. As policymakers and legislators we need to get a clearer picture from the national farm survey. This requires separate data on on-farm work, off-farm work and care work. Information on how labour is organised on farms, including hours worked and the types of activities carried out such as administrative or bookkeeping tasks, should also be captured in any new survey. Policymakers and legislators also need to understand the extent to which off-farm employment contributes to family farm income, so further analysis is also needed in that area. On acquisition of land and succession, one of the biggest barriers to working as a primary producer is a lack of access to land whether one is male or female. Data shows us over half of farmers in Ireland do not have an identified successor in place. Where there is an identified successor a significant majority - over 80% - of those identified as successors are male. Time and time again I have been told by farm families that there were mixed views on succession norms in Ireland. A few farmers spoke of being equal opportunity parents in that whichever child was most interested in the farm would go on to work on the farm, regardless of gender. I am encouraged by that. Their sense was that this was the case with an increasing number of farmers although this view is not, as the Minister knows, reflected in the quantitative data available to us.

The son as heir mindset can potentially lead to problems, particularly if the son had little interest in farming. That is a challenge. I spoke with an agri adviser the other day and she told me she was on a farm some time ago and was praising the farmer for the fine farm enterprise he had. He told her in reply he hated the farm and resented it and was expected to return home from abroad to look after his parents and the farm. He was 70 years of age, single and, he said, very lonely, but he felt he had a duty to serve and continue the line of the family farm. Qualitative findings suggest greater dialogue on the impact of the son as heir norm on the sustainability of the agriculture sector and the burden this is for some is needed. We also hear so many times of the child who deserves the farm but does not get it. The land deserves the child who has the greater interest in farming it. It is of course a lifestyle choice and a choice for all involved. Negative impacts of not wanting the farm include loss of talent, pressures on men who do not wish to continue farming, reports of depression and loneliness. You might hear comments like “He got it handy”, “ He didn’t make it, he got it”, “He got his feet under the table” and “He got into this place”. These are somewhat derogatory remarks but they are challenging for those who are insecure and do not necessarily want the farm. There are missed opportunities in relation to alternative opportunities for the farm and impediments to women’s ability to fulfil their potential and desire to be farmers.

Supporting women who wish to pursue careers in farming is critical to the sustainability of farming and rural communities. Statistics show there are more male than female students studying agricultural science at leaving certificate level. I would like to see a module on the green certificate included in the leaving certificate agricultural science course. Such an initiative would support and recognise students’ love and knowledge of farming and open up more possibilities for them in agriculture and innovation as a career path of choice. Too many students leave secondary school not too sure where they are going. A gap happens between second and third level education as young people may take a year out, and they drift from agriculture. I spoke to a family member the other day who said they never really did the green certificate and that they were sorry they did not. When you start making money it is very hard to go back into education and training. We could capture students in that period with just one elementary module as part of the agricultural science syllabus for those who choose it. That is really important in terms of agriculture.

The United Nations sustainable development goals, which form part of my motion, are important. Goal 5 specifically addresses gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls everywhere by 2030. Irish data from the Census of Agriculture 2020, which the Minister will be familiar with, highlighted that women are under-represented in the agriculture sector and their valuable contributions every day to family farms are essentially invisible. Advancing gender equality is crucial to the sustainability and success of the agriculture sector. The Report of the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming, which the Minister published in 2025, identified 31 barriers to generational renewal and specifically noted the importance of improving gender balance. This now provides a clear roadmap of progress for many of the matters that I have raised this evening.

I am conscious that there are many players in agriculture but I want to take this opportunity to thank a few people who helped me to develop some thoughts on this motion. I acknowledge Philip Boucher-Hayes. RTÉ’s flagship agricultural and rural affairs radio programme, "CountryWide" has featured many successful women in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and in artisan food related to agriculture. I listen to it every Saturday morning. I am sure most of us do, either in the car or out working. They are great ambassadors for agriculture and particularly great ambassadors for women who want to partake. I thank Agriland for its active and innovative communication in all things agriculture and food science. I thank Dr. Maura Farrell from NUI Galway, whose teaching and research are rooted in rural and agricultural geography, with a central focus on rural gender studies, rural development, land use, agricultural change, and the socioeconomic resilience of rural communities. I thank Jackie Flannery of the Irish Rural Association for her strong and consistently articulate advocacy for rural affairs. I particularly thank the research team of HER-SELF, a project that the Minister initiated, which I acknowledge. I thank Dr. Martina Roche and Dr. Noreen McNamara from Maynooth University, Dr. Mary Anne Hurley and Alice Hand from Munster Technological University, Dr. Áine Macken-Walsh from Teagasc, and the Minister's staff at the Department of agriculture. Finally, I thank the farmers, both female and male, who gave me their time to share their experiences and stories to assist me in a greater understanding of their ambition for greater and more equal opportunities for all in agriculture.

I see I still have four or five minutes and want to touch on a few key issues. The Government's programme, Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, was an amazing document. I read most of it again today in preparation for this motion. I looked again at a further edition of its work programme, really focusing on some of the issues that may not have been addressed. I ask at some point that the Department look again at this, because all of this is still relevant. It may need slight updating. Things happened in the process of 2021 to 2025 that set back some of the key objectives, but the key objectives here talk about rural communities and equal opportunities in rural communities.

They talk about rural housing. I am regularly here talking about rural housing and how we can address it. For 15 years, I have received letters from various Ministers talking about rural housing guidelines. We need rural housing guidelines. The other day, I heard the Minister for housing talking about his plans to release rural housing guidelines. I again say that we do not need the Minister to publish rural housing guidelines right now. We need to publish draft rural housing guidelines and to seek consultation on them. We know that clusters of housing are important. With my focus on women here today, we know that women who went into farm partnerships may be in farm partnerships with their parents. They may wish to build a new home on the farmland, particularly if it is extensive farmland. They do not necessarily want to live with their parents or grandparents. They want to establish their own families. That is supporting women in rural Ireland and women and new families in agriculture. Rural housing is critical.

There is a greater focus in this document on developing our food hubs. I think of the food hub in Athy, which the Minister would be strongly associated with. I think of BIA Innovator in Galway. Hubs and innovation are important. Agriculture is now a science. It is not about putting a pair of wellingtons on and chancing your arm. It is now a science, so training is critically important, as is helping women to access agriculture and horticulture. It is not all academic. Much of the work can be learned through practical experiences.

The Minister knows this because he has a young family. His children of seven, eight and nine could teach him a few things. Most children of 14 and 15 on a family farm in a protected setting are managing farm machinery and there are risks associated with that. They glean a vast amount of experience on the ground from the practicalities of agriculture. It is not all for the academic. There is practical learning. I know that Teagasc has done a lot of work in this space. How do we transfer knowledge in agriculture? How do we promote more food? I talked earlier about the 80% of food that we are bringing into this country. There are challenges and there is added value to foods, particularly in the dairy sector. We see that with yoghurts and so on. I went to Tesco recently with a delegation from the Oireachtas. I was so impressed to see so many new products on the shelves that came from Ireland. We have to be proud of our achievements.

I acknowledge the significant work of Bord Bia. It is an amazing organisation. Like every organisation, it has its problems from time to time, but it is a showcase of our Irish food, horticulture and agriculture. It is a proud ambassador for us and we are proud of its work as an ambassador across the world. I commend it on that work.

Women have a significant role and want to play an equal role. I talk about farmers and equal opportunity. I also talk about male farmers. Let us include and promote farmers and women to take their rightful place in a sustainable way so that we can build our rural communities.

I thank the Minister. He has also been the Minister of State at the Department of agriculture, so he has continuity. He has been behind much of this. I suggest that we should not throw out this book, our rural future, but instead update it, renew it and renew our vigour to promote agriculture access for all.

I call Senator McDowell.

I second the motion.

I was looking forward to Senator McDowell's contribution on agriculture from Dublin.

Times are tough in the agriculture sector. Senator Brady and I have to share glasses. I welcome the motion and compliment and thank Senator Boyhan for tabling it. It is a debate and conversation that we really need to have. Without being negative about it, but rather trying to expand the debate, it is not as simple as things the Minister or anybody in the Department can do. I start by acknowledging the strong women in my life. While I have a figure in front of me saying that 13.4% of holdings are registered and hence classified as the women farmers of Ireland, my mother was of the "housewife" generation, a word that, thank God, we have lost somewhat. Her name did not appear on anything other than a signature on a cheque, but she was as much a farmer as my father was, as was that entire generation of people. At the moment, my partner, Bernie, is at home farming. Other than on the chequebook, because of the generational renewal problems that we have and the old diehard traditions that the farm has to stay in the family name, this is not reflected.

No Government Minister can change that mindset. It is changing with time, through necessity, and because we have now gone from eight to 13 members of a family to one or two, and chances are that there may be two girls, so the option is not there, but, of old, the father would always have said that the farm has to go to the son because it was in his father's name, he entrusted him with it, it is staying in the family name. We are growing out of that but no legislation the Minister can bring in will change that. We have to grow out of it.

It is a generational renewal issue. I do not think any woman or girl who wants to farm is being stopped from farming in any way; the problem is getting them to want to farm. This is not only with regard to the female gender but the male gender as well. Farmers out there who are aged over 70 or 80 tell us they would love to retire but none of their families want it. We have to make it attractive for people so that they think there is a future and a profit for them in farming. This is as much of an issue as the one affecting the female gender, but I take the points that have been made.

There has been some work done. I have a long list but will not go through it. Gender equality is a core principle of the European Union and the current agricultural policy places particular focus on promoting women's participation in the development of rural areas, with special attention on farming. Despite this, Ireland is only one of two EU states to formally include support for women farmers in its CAP strategy. It is a broader issue than just Ireland, where we are probably ahead of the curve. As Senator Boyhan pointed out in the past 16 minutes, the major issue with this is the lack of resources. It is a bigger issue in Europe where we see we are ahead of the posse on it, but we still have much to do.

A lot of work was done by the previous Government and it is carrying through to this Government. The previous Minister, Deputy McConalogue, launched the national dialogue on women in agriculture, which led to the national women in agriculture action plan, the women in agriculture working group and women-only knowledge transfer groups. Our agrifood strategy, Food Vision 2030, launched by the previous Government, recognises the importance of gender balance to a long-term sustainable future for primary producers. It includes commitments to promote and include gender balance at all levels in the sector and to host a national dialogue on women in agriculture. This dialogue took place in 2023 and explored gender equality in farming and the wider agricultural sector, which is also important, as it is not only about the farm.

The outcomes and recommendations informed a report and a 12-point action plan. It is important that we act on as many of these as possible. They include hosting a series of demand-driven webinars and local events considering local needs to encourage and promote increased female interaction, leadership and participation in the sector, and increased promotion of agriculture as a viable career for women and young girls in primary and post-primary schools to be progressed through Agri Aware and the Department of education. Other recommendations are to liaise with Teagasc and third level education providers so that there are options to ensure the highest possible female participation; implementing the use of more inclusive language and imagery in communications to farmers and about farming; promoting and normalising female succession, including the consideration of any changes required to policy, taxation, legislation and Department of agriculture schemes; liaising with the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners on the barriers for women farmers within the taxation system to ensure greater inclusivity and fairness; and the Department to consider the sponsorship of a woman in agriculture innovation and excellence award within an existing award programme to acknowledge and recognise those who are leading the way in the agrifood sector.

The plan includes a point on establishing a working group to review internal departmental scheme eligibility and educational requirements to ensure maximum opportunities are available to women farmers, in addition to establishing a process to consider the issue and the design and implementation of all schemes, including improved recording and reporting of gender data. Yet another point is on reviewing the procedures and processes in place for the inclusion of women on herd numbers and as herd keepers.

I have run out of time, but perhaps the Minister will give us an update on where we are on all of these. I know the work is continuing. I put on the record that we are working on this but it is not a simple fix.

I welcome guests of Senator Costello, who are A. J., Thomas and her god-daughter Lauren. I hope Senator Costello is a good godmother and does not shrink on gifts at the appropriate time of the year.

I welcome the Minister to the House. My grandmother was of the era when she was never on the herd number, but she was always the woman who organised what had to be done on the farm. That era of women must not be forgotten. We have seen a change. We in Ireland are the leaders when it comes to supporting women in farming and agriculture. I will go through a couple of statistics. Men and women are equal in most developed countries. The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals and gender is featured in all 17. There can be no sustainable development without gender equality. With regard to education, 15 million girls will never get a chance to read or write. A total of 33 million women and girls live on less than $1.90 a day compared to 4.4 million men. Women are 14 times more likely to die during a disaster. This tells us where Ireland is globally. The world itself has not recognised the value of women in agriculture or in the workforce. Investment and policy programmes that work for girls and women have to be key for the European Union. Women make up 41% of the global agricultural workforce, yet too often they have no access to finance, technology or training.

It would be remiss of me not to congratulate the Minister on appointing Carina Roseingrave as ambassador for Ireland this year. She runs a mixed farm in County Clare where she milks cows. She was in childcare and, unfortunately, her business was not sustainable, so she has gone into farming full time. She runs a pedigree herd of Charolais and Limousin cattle. She runs a dairy herd and a suckler herd. To say she is a real ambassador for women in agriculture in this country is an understatement. When we speak to her, she has such a passion for food production and for women in agriculture. Her goal is to educate the younger kids of Ireland, especially younger girls, so that they see there is a viable living to be had in taking over the family farm and making a living out of it. She should be complimented because what she has done in County Clare is really special.

She commented to me when I spoke to her earlier that she would like to see funding put in place for training to encourage more kids and women into agriculture. She hopes she can set up a programme on her farm where she can bring in kids because 48% of kids in Ireland do not know where food comes from. It is unbelievable to say that 48% of our young people do not understand where food comes from. We cannot and should not lose this connection. Educating people and having someone like Carina Roseingrave who is willing to set up a programme to bring kids to her farm during the four months when the seasons change, with the calving period, milk production and cheese production, is certainly something we should embrace. I hope we might have a chat again regarding putting some funding in place for her. As Senators, we should look at a training programme and what she is willing to do on her farm if it encourages anybody to take over a farm or get into farming.

I hope my daughter is looking at this debate. The youngest girl in the house, Ellie Brady, is the only one, along with my younger son, who wants to put on the pair of wellingtons and go farming with her father every time I am at home.

She is so encouraging. She is all about technology, at 14 years of age, regarding herd watching and stuff I am lost and mind-boggled about, to be honest. When the time for scanning comes, she is the one who takes out the pen and is able to set up the phone to show a message to say that the cow is due to calve. It is unbelievable what children can do in farming.

Hear, hear.

It is lovely to see that kids have an interest and want to be that way. I am so proud that we have kids like that in this day and age. I hope that more kids and more farmers, and especially more older farmers, will recognise the value of the woman in agriculture. There was one thing my grandmother used to say: if you want something done, ask a woman to do it, and that way you will be sure it will get done. I will leave my contribution on that note.

Hear, hear. Well said.

I thank Senator Boyhan and his group for bringing this motion forward. One of the first conversations I ever had with him after I got elected to this House was around the year of the woman farmer, when he told me all about how this was coming in. Since then, he has been providing me with information that I might be interested in. He is an amazing advocate for women in farming, and I have to give him that today.

This is an opportunity not simply to celebrate women in agriculture but to finally confront the structural inequalities that have existed within farming for generations. Women have always been at the heart of rural Ireland. They have worked on farms, managed accounts, cared for livestock, raised families, driven diversity, supported local communities and sustained rural life without any recognition sometimes and without ownership or equal decision-making power.

Despite their enormous contribution, as has been said a few times across the floor, only 13% of farms are owned by women. This statistic alone tells us that while women have always been central to farming, they have not always been treated as equal participants in the sector. Globally, women make up 41% of the agrifood workforce. The evidence is overwhelming that when women are empowered in agriculture, communities benefit, household incomes improve, food security strengthens and rural communities become more resilient, so this is not simply an equality issue. It is an economic issue, a rural development issue and a food security issue.

I particularly welcome the recognition in the motion of barriers around landownership, succession, taxation and access to finance. For many women, particularly in rural Ireland, farming has traditionally been something they contribute to rather than something that they are formally recognised within. Too often, women work full time on farms while their names are absent from land titles, herd numbers - I am one of them because my name is not on our herd number - partnerships, decision-making structures and succession plans. This has real consequences, not only economically but socially and emotionally too within the house.

We need to ask ourselves why it is still considered unusual in some areas for a daughter to inherit the family farm or for a wife or partner to be made equal legal participants in the family farm business. If we are serious about encouraging women into agriculture, then we must address the practical barriers that continue to exist. This includes examining taxation structures that may unintentionally discourage joint ownership or succession for women. It means improving access to education, advisory services, grant schemes and leadership opportunities. It means ensuring that women farmers are visible in our agricultural colleges, co-ops, farm organisations and policymaking bodies. Importantly, it means changing cultural attitudes, which I know can be very difficult, that still persist in certain parts of the sector.

There is enormous value in the proposal for an education programme promoting women in agriculture. Young girls growing up in rural Ireland should see farming as a career path for themselves, not as something secondary or supportive but something they can actually lead. This is because the future of Irish agriculture depends on attracting our next generation into farming and we cannot afford to leave half of our population behind.

I also acknowledge the work already undertaken through the women in agriculture action plan and a commitment in the programme for Government to support female succession and gender equality in farming. We now need delivery on this. The International Year of the Woman Farmer cannot simply be a symbolic exercise or a series of events and photographs. It needs to become a turning point, one where women in agriculture receive not just praise for their contribution but equal access to opportunity, ownership, recognition and leadership. Rural Ireland is changing and that change must include greater equality within farming itself. By supporting women farmers, we strengthen families, food systems and rural communities.

I am sharing time with Senator Noonan.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I am very proud to put my name to this motion as well. I thank Senator Boyhan for including me in it. When I was looking into what I was going to say, I was thinking back to the opening comments from Senator Daly. My grandmother was also a farmer, and she loved farming and spending time on the farm, but she also was burdened by a lot of children. I should not be saying "burdened", but she ended up having to do both. She did not drive, so she spent a lot of time at home, whereas my grandfather would have gone off to the mart. She had all those other responsibilities that my grandad did not have.

I welcome what the Minister, Deputy Heydon, has done. I was looking at this Highlighting pathways to Empower Rural women to have Sustainable and Equitable Livelihoods in Farming, HER-SELF, report, which is a brilliant report. I know the Minister’s Department was instrumental in commissioning it. I thank the authors, Dr. Martina Roche, Dr. Noirín MacNamara and Dr. Mary Anne Hurley. They highlighted ways to empower rural women to have sustainable and equitable livelihoods in farming. They pointed to some of the barriers that have come up in this motion and ways to address them. As has been said here, they looked at policy overhauls and aligning tax and legal succession. Looking at CAP payments was also suggested. The vast majority of people receiving these payments are men. There is also the cultural validation aspect. As Senator Collins said, if you cannot see it, you cannot be it. It was great to hear about Senator Brady’s daughter, Ellie, and that she has that interest in farming.

Gabh mo leithscéal, but I just got a message that the House needs to be suspended so the Minister can go to a Dáil vote.

Yes.

I ask the Acting Leader to propose a suspension of the House until after the Dáil vote.

I propose to suspend until after the Dáil vote.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Democracy will now resume. The vote in the Dáil is over. Senator Cosgrove has about three minutes but we will give her a bit of injury time, as her flow was interrupted.

It is all right. I do not need extra time.

What I was saying was what everyone here had said, namely, that only 13% of total farm owners in Ireland are female. I know the Government has committed in the programme for Government to implement this report and is saying that the three multistructural changes would be policy overhauls, cultural validation and targeted innovation funding. This is where education comes in. For many years, I was a youth liaison worker in rural and urban schools. Agricultural science was always offered as a subject in the rural schools but often it was not offered in single-sex girls schools. This is about looking at the inclusion of agricultural science at junior certificate level and the diversification of farming to include what Senator Brady spoke about, namely, where our food comes from, growing, food security and initiatives like social farming. It involves looking at educational issues around that. I would love to see such a subject at junior certificate level. It could be a combination of home economics and agricultural science.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire and I thank Senator Boyhan for tabling this motion. I want to mention some women farmers in Ireland. One of the most notable, and formerly of this House, and a former ministerial colleague of the Minister in his Department and former Minister of State, is Pippa Hackett.

Yes.

Pippa Hackett is back farming and heading up an European Innovation Partnership, EIP, programme. She is a fantastic woman ambassador for women in farming more generally and I want to acknowledge her work. I think of the work of Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, who is a fantastic advocate for women farmers. In my own constituency, there are Gail and Bryan Daniels in County Kilkenny who have a derogation farm - an intensive dairy farm - but do amazing work for water quality, biodiversity and climate. The Minister might have met Gail in his travels as she has the Bó Bar soap range handmade using cow's milk. It is an absolutely fantastic product.

Josephine O'Neill is another Kilkenny women and is chair of Macra na Feirme. Alice Doyle is the deputy president of the IFA. Women are breaking glass ceilings in farming all over the country. I think also of the farming for nature ambassadors. For example, Margaret Edgill who is an organic beef farmer and works in agri-tourism and food innovation in County Offaly. There is Cheryl Poole and her husband in County Wexford who show how intensive dairying can go hand-in-hand with nature-rich habitats and good water quality. There is Janet Power and Jenny Watkins who have an organic market garden and Senator Boyhan mentioned the role that women play, particularly in market gardening, across the country. Finally, I think of Suzanna Crampton, granddaughter of the great essayist, Hubert Butler. Suzanna, who is a great friend of mine, now has a sheep farm after she inherited the family farm at Maidenhall in Bennettsbridge. We have fantastic conversations about agricology and about soil in particular.

I support the comments made by Senators, in particular what Senator Brady said about farming in developing countries. I thank Irish Aid and our development organisations such as Trócaire and Concern that do specific on-the-ground work in supporting long-term stability to maintain women in farming roles.

I was in Jinotega in Nicaragua a number of years ago and met coffee farmers in the hills. It was amazing to see the women's co-operatives there. The co-operative movement is very strong even though it is a very patriarchal society. Irish Aid uses and deploys Irish aid in a way that is targeted and supports the measures that women can play in farming. I see it time and time again that climate change is becoming an increasing factor. There is also the ability to maintain children in schools and the challenges that they face in terms of labour rights and access to education. I pay tribute to the Irish Aid programme, in particular the work that it does with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in overseas programmes.

This evening, it is important that we celebrate women in farming. I commend the Department and the Minister on the commitment put forward in ensuring that there is long-term sustainability and a viable career for women in farming. There are women working in advisory roles in many sectors that support farming such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Teagasc. We must look at where the opportunities are in terms of long-term viability, where the changes are happening in agriculture in Ireland, the challenges around climate changing weather conditions, the market prices, etc. Women play a key role in that and their role needs to be strengthened. Again, I commend the work the Department is doing and I thank Senator Boyhan for initiating this debate this evening. It has been most valuable.

I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic. I commend Senator Boyhan on putting it on our schedule and the Minister on coming here to partake in this very important debate in this, the United Nations International Year of the Women Farmer, which aims to recognise and support women working across agriculture and food systems. This is so important when we look at the issue of climate change and increasing food insecurity in many parts of the world. We must examine food security ourselves. While we are not in any immediate danger the evidence shows that food security will become an increasing problem even here in Ireland. This country has a lot of very good agricultural land and we need to make sure that we maintain good agricultural land while retaining sustainable communities. While energy security is being discussed a lot at the moment, the food security of this country is a very important aspect that is not getting enough conversation and attention. I know that the Minister will bring that conversation forward and keep the issue of food security for us in Ireland but also globally to the forefront of his work.

As part of food security, Senators have mentioned the work that Irish Aid does overseas to support communities across Africa and some countries but, in particular, supporting women farmers in those communities. When we support women farmers, whether that is here in Ireland or abroad, then we support communities because we know that when we support and empower women then we support communities. We are supporting their communities and children to prosper. As a result these countries are more stable and do better overall.

Women face many barriers in agriculture here in Ireland and many colleagues have touched on the issues that women face. Access to capital and assets are particularly acute within the farming sector and we need to have a cultural conversation on that. If the agricultural industry in Ireland is to be sustainable and if we are going to retain people on the land and keep them farming family farms, then we need to have a more open and honest discussion about families and how they look at women within the family system inheriting land and not only working and contributing on the farm, which women have done for generations. Both of my grandmothers were farmers though not on paper and I doubt that they had very much say in what happened on the financial side of things but they worked day in and day out while raising very big families on small landholdings in counties Kerry and Waterford. It is very important that the contribution of women is recognised. Some strides have been made in recent years but still women who have worked on farms for many years have difficulty in accessing pension rights. That is something that we need to look at but, like I said, we need to have that cultural conversation around that.

I know many women farmers in north County Dublin where I am and they work in the industries of horticulture and agriculture. They produce top quality products and maintain the land but there are many barriers. We know that just over 13% of farm holders registered in Ireland are women farm holders but that does not reflect the reality on the ground and the many women engaged in agriculture, horticulture and food industries.

Access to land and succession are issues that have been touched on. Both leave many women very vulnerable within marriages and if they ever seek to leave a marriage and divorce. We all know of situations in which women have been left very vulnerable and unable to leave, perhaps a very abusive situation, because of the situation around the holding of land. Many men have also been left in vulnerable situations. Senators have mentioned that some men have felt obliged to stay on the family farm, and how succession is held over them in that the farm is not signed over until a very late stage and some are well advanced in years but there is always that threat that they could lose everything. We need to have a cultural conversation as it would benefit women, men and this country because agriculture, even though it is diminished in terms of its importance in this country when we consider tech and pharma exports, agriculture is still very important and in particular in respect of food security. It is culturally important to have agriculture at the heart of communities. Whether these are communities in north County Dublin, Donegal, Westmeath or Cork, they are different but the same and we value and respect them. Over the years many studies at a European Union level have been done on countries that have thriving agricultural and rural communities, which show that such countries do better overall in terms of social cohesion and societal expectations. Therefore, it is important for all of us that farmers are supported and particularly women farmers.

I would like to pay tribute to the many organisations that support women farmers and have supported rural women down through the years. I want to mention the Irish Countrywomen's Association, which has advocated for women farmers and women in rural Ireland down through the years.

I pay particular tribute to the ICA guilds in my own area. I deal with them a lot and have many friends involved in the ICA. The ICA guilds in Lusk, Balbriggan, Garristown and Swords have been doing fantastic work for generations. They keep women connected, educated and supported in rural Ireland.

I understand Senators McCarthy and Clonan are sharing time and taking three minutes each. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister for being here. I am proud to be a signatory to Senator Boyhan's motion. The women who farm this land deserve far better than the system has given them in the past. This year is the United Nations International Year of the Woman Farmer. That recognition matters because for generations women have been the backbone of rural Ireland. I was brought up on a farm and my mother was the backbone of the whole family. As Senator Daly said, often they are not on the cheque books or the cattle herd numbers and so on, but they are certainly the backbone. Often they are invisible within the agricultural system itself. Only 13% of farms in Ireland are owned by women. That statistic shows we have a long way to go. It is not a reflection of women's ability or ambitions, but it certainly reflects barriers around ownership, succession and opportunity which still exist today.

Globally, women make up to 41% of the agrifood workforce, but they continue to face disadvantages in accessing land, funding and even education, which I will mention in a moment. It shows the scale when we look at Europe. The United Nations estimates that empowering women in agriculture could reduce food insecurity for up to 45 million people worldwide. That shows the scale of what is possible when women are properly supported and valued. Ireland is proud to co-sponsor the initiative at the United Nations and I welcome that, but support abroad must also translate to meaningful action here. If we want an example, and many examples were given by my colleague, I often think of Anna May McHugh and how she transformed the National Ploughing Championships into the largest outdoor agricultural event in Europe. She became one of the most respected figures in Irish farming and also in business. She played a major role and broke the glass ceiling for women in agriculture. Her daughter Anna Marie works alongside her.

Another issue that must be brought up is education. Senator Boyhan suggested an initiative as part of the leaving certificate that would bring in the green certificate as part it. He said that we must actively and encourage support for agriculture in education through schools and colleges, but I will highlight the issues surrounding the Irish National Stud's thoroughbred breeding management course, which Senator Boyhan and I recently raised with the Minister. It is an internationally respected programme with strong agricultural competencies, yet graduates are excluded from trained farmer status due to technical European credit transfer and accumulation system, ECTS, requirements. Many graduates are women from farming backgrounds. This is exactly the kind of bureaucratic barrier that discourages people. I know this motion is about more than recognition; it is about fairness, visibility and opportunity. However, that green cert is an opportunity to make a difference.

The International Year of the Woman Farmer will pass, but the decisions we make can have a lasting legacy. As Senator Brady mentioned, we need more Ellie Bradys. Let us make a decision that we support women farmers.

I am proud to co-sponsor Senator Boyhan's motion. You might ask what a fellow from Finglas would know about farming. On my dad's side, they had a farm in County Meath near Killyon, Hill of Down, so I have been around cattle in the 1970s. I got sunburned on the bog in 1976, so I have some inkling.

I wanted to talk about the great time of geopolitical turbulence in the 20th century, a time of dictators and unbridled aggression, something that we are sadly becoming familiar with today. In Operation Barbarossa, the Russians had everything destroyed, including Ukrainians. The Soviet Union was decimated in this scorched-earth policy. Two German divisions went to Minsk and Smolensk and predated the land and killed everything - all the cattle, all the fowl - and destroyed all of the land. Those two divisions had been earmarked to invade Ireland under the German plan, Unternehmen Grün, Operation Green, which was supposed to happen in parallel with Operation Sea Lion and the Battle of Britain. In that time of absolute devastation, conflict and crisis, the Soviets had to move all of their heavy oil, coal and steel industries east of the Urals and start them from scratch. They also had to do the same with agriculture. Some 99% of the labour in the oil, steel and coal plants and 99% of the labour in their farms were women. During that period from 1943 to 1945, all of the production records of the Soviet Union were broken and were never reached again, even in the sixties, seventies and eighties, notwithstanding the mechanisation and improvements in technology and so on. I would not underestimate the power and the potential of women because that was a female phenomenon.

I understand that Ireland could in theory feed 60 million people. I agree with Senator Clifford-Lee that there is a major concern around food security. We are a bit obsessed at the moment about drones and AI and so on, but if you ain't got food, you ain't got nothing. I am shocked to hear that we have gone from 600 to just 60 vegetable producers in Ireland. We only have 300 potato producers. We really need to support farmers because it is essential for food security and our national future. With the changes in climate, Europe is the continent that is warming at the fastest rate throughout the world. Ireland will play a vital role in food security but we cannot afford to lose the skill sets. I echo what Senator Cosgrove said, that every child in Ireland should be taught in primary school how to grow something, whether it is in a window box in an apartment or in a back garden or allotment. We have to reinvigorate those skills.

I thank Senator Boyhan for this motion and encourage the participation of women in farming. They are 51% of the population and women and girls are key to the future of this Republic and to us even as a species.

I want to commend Senator Boyhan on his motion. I do enjoy our chats about all things agriculture. The Senator is always very generous with his time and knowledge. As a member of the agriculture panel, I am often asked how a Tallaght girl made it onto the agriculture panel. What would a Tallaght girl know about agriculture? The answer is because my family roots are in Bohernabreena, just a brief ten minutes from the hustle and bustle of Tallaght village, where urban life fades into farmland, rivers, fields, forests and bogs. My childhood was spent in farmyards, running through fields and enjoying the freedom that rural life brings, which left me with a deep love and appreciation for agriculture. Bohernabreena has held on tightly to its farming traditions and rural identity. Even as Dublin expanded around it, families worked the land, supported their neighbours and built communities grounded in resilience and hard work. At the heart of all that were the women, who often went unrecognised but were central to family farms and rural life, managing homes and farms, raising families, caring for their livestock and helping keep communities going.

That is why the United Nations International Year of the Woman Farmer really matters. It gives proper recognition to women whose contribution to agriculture has too often been overlooked, despite the fact that farming simply would not function without them. Here in Ireland, as has been said, only 13% of farm holders are women, which shows there is still work to do around access, visibility and opportunity within the sector. I acknowledge the work of the Minister, and also the work of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, in recent years. Initiatives such as the women's farmer capital investment scheme with its enhanced grant supports, the national dialogue on women in agriculture, women-only knowledge transfer groups and the women in agriculture action plan were important and practical steps towards improving participation and recognition for women in farming. Those initiatives showed commitment to ensuring women are better supported across the agrifood sector. We must continue building on the progress because we also need to send a strong message to the young women, like Senator Brady's daughter, that agriculture is an exciting and rewarding career.

Modern farming is innovative and forward-looking.

It is about sustainability, climate action, science, technology, biodiversity and food security. Women are increasingly leading in areas such as regenerative farming, agribusiness and environmental management. Agriculture offers meaningful work connected to people, place and community. As someone from Tallaght, with roots in Bohernabreena, I am proud to speak about agriculture because it is part of our local story too. This Tallaght girl does know a bit about agriculture because I come from people who understood the value of land, the dignity of hard work and the strength of the community. As we mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we should honour the women who carried those traditions forward, support the women farming today and inspire the next generation to see agriculture not as something from the past, but as one of the most important and rewarding careers for the future.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Well said.

Go raibh maith agat. As a vote has been called in the Dáil, we will need to suspend so the Minister can attend.

I welcome back the Minister. The next speaker is Senator Conway.

Molaim an Aire as a bheith chomh sciobtha agus a bhí sé. The Minister was very quickly back among us. It is lovely to see him here as well.

I compliment Senator Boyhan on this thought-provoking motion. I was happy to co-sign it. I acknowledge all the work that he does on behalf of farming, horticulture and fisheries. The Senator is a great colleague and many people have attested to that.

I ask the House to spare a thought for women who, through the cruel hand of fate, are designated to be farmers. It happens to more than a handful of women every year. The debate tonight was enriched by a lot of personal testimony. Every Senator referred to their own background and their closeness to farming and the Minister will indulge me if I mention that the cohort of women I am talking about is the women who are thrown into farming because of the death of a husband or partner. This happened to a sister of mine when she was all of 33, with four small girls, the youngest being two and the oldest being eight. Her husband died in the sports complex in Longford playing a five-a-side football match at the age of 36. She was a nurse by profession. It is kind of ironic that hers was predominantly female profession at the time and her husband was a farmer. She was thrown into rearing a family and all the complexities of bringing up a family but also all the complexity that she was completely foreign to in relation to farming including husbandry, vets, accounts, the CAP and trying to make sense of it. Of course, there was trying to get staff who would work and then the inevitable, which happens on occasions, that women in those vulnerable situations can meet fairly unscrupulous people who can take advantage of their naivety. Anyway, as a House we should think of those women. It still goes on, sometimes at a very tender age and sometimes much more latterly, in people's existence. It is a mark of great of courage on those women farmers who, though they do not have any choice in it, if the Minister will pardon the expression, man or woman up to it and make a great job of bringing up their families and preserving the farm. I have noticed - and I noticed in her case - that they often farm with a greater sensitivity to nature and animals as well. That is probably just part of their nature. That is something I wanted to point out.

The other aspect I want to advert to is that down near me in Tramore there is an agricultural college called Kildalton. Senator Clifford-Lee will know it well. It is near the Senator's ancestry.

My father attended Kildalton and met my mother at a dance nearby.

Did he? How about that. There are all the warm testimonies.

I was looking at the figures for the latest year available, which is 2019, and out of the 127 students there were in Kildalton in that year, 13 were female. The piece of information that I read was a great improvement on the position five years previously, when there were only two. Therefore, the trends are definitely in the right direction. Long may it continue that way.

I thank Senator Boyhan for the great motion. I was proud to co-sign it. I am looking to forward to hearing the Minister's response on this worthy topic.

I welcome the Minister and props to Senator Boyhan for bringing forward this motion and getting cross-party support as well for it.

It is an important opportunity to discuss the important role that women have played and the vital contribution they have made as farmers to agriculture in Ireland, often without the recognition that they are due. It is also an important opportunity to spotlight the gender barriers that women face in farming and reaffirm our commitment to help women overcome these barriers and to thrive in that sector.

The "HER-SELF" or Highlighting pathways to Empower Rural women to have Sustainable and Equitable Livelihoods in Farming report, launched last year, notes that the agriculture sector needs to attract women in great numbers to ensure future sustainability. However, it identifies a number of concerning trends, including a stark gender disparity in terms of farm ownership. Only 13% of women in Ireland are farm holders. Women farm holders were also found to be disproportionately associated with the lower earning and smaller-scale farms. Additional barriers to women's participation highlighted by the report include: limited access to land; succession challenges, which the Minister will be aware of; and balancing farm work, off-farm employment and caring responsibilities. Often women undertake a lot of carrying responsibilities in the household as well as the additional farm work.

In light of these barriers, particularly the succession challenges, it is vital that we prioritise supporting young women in particular who wish to establish or take over an existing farm-family business. Macra na Feirme is a voluntary organisation. It represents thousands of rural youth and young farmers across Ireland. It has called for the needs of rural youth to be better reflected in policy in this respect by investing in rural communities to ensure they are attractive places for young people to live and work. It advocates for a more holistic approach to investment in rural communities and rural youth to foster vibrant local communities encompassing agricultural sports for young farmers, investment in housing, better access to GP, mental health supports and local amenities.

I also want to briefly acknowledge the work of the women in agriculture action plan, including its drive to promote and normalise female succession, and the steps contained within the plan to increase the promotion of agriculture as a viable career for women and young girls, including through the use of more inclusive imagery and education materials. It is all so vital. You need to see it to be it. We know that representation matters and you cannot be what you cannot see. Greater inclusion and empowerment of women is vital to ensure the sustainability of our agriculture section so I commend that work and look forward to seeing the implementation of that particular report later this year.

I will finish by acknowledging the experience and background of my party leader in this area, Deputy Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns is an organic farmer. The Deputy has an MSc in organic horticulture and has an organic vegetable farm with her mum, where they promote sustainable agriculture. I also believe that Deputy Cairns is the first party spokesperson on agriculture to also transition to become party leader.

In many ways, Deputy Cairns has broken many ceilings. That is another one and I note her contribution in that space.

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising an important issue and making many constructive points in his motion. The esteem in which he is held by his colleagues is evident from the contributions to and participation in this debate. I thank all Members for their indulgence in my having to leave the Chamber on a few occasions for votes. I promise to drive on now and not stop.

As many Members of the House shared personal stories of their grandparents, mothers, sisters or others, I will start by doing the same. Senator Conway, towards the end of the debate, touched on my personal experience of growing up. My mother was an integral part of our farming system. No big farm management decisions were made on the farm that she was not consulted about. She was a farmer on the ground but not on paper. In the 1980s my mother's name did not appear anywhere on documents, such as about the herd number or anything like that. That was the case until, unfortunately, at the age of 43, she became a widow when Dad passed away and she was left with three young children, of whom I was one. Therefore, when we see the small percentage of female farmers and how small the number is, I am acutely aware that many of them are not the lead farmer on the farm by choice. We would have liked partnerships and a better structure, but as has been outlined, many people have been put in that situation due to circumstances they wish did not happen.

My mother gave me the grá or love I have for agriculture by deciding not to set the land, which would have been the easier thing to do with three young children to be educated. Instead she switched to sucklers, and before and after school, morning and evening, we fed those cows so that I would have that grá and taste for it. She was also keen to know, before signing over the farm, who I would marry. It may be just as well that Senator Costello is not here as she might get upset, because Mam said to me one day, "What if you marry someone from Dublin who does not care about the calves?" "There are plenty of people in Dublin who do care about the calves", is the answer I should have given her. However, when I married a potato farmer's daughter from outside Athy, Mam duly felt it was time to hand over the farm. She was happy enough. My wife and I, having both been raised in farming circles and having our active farm at home, are determined that each of our four children will have an equal opportunity to inherit the farm. It will go to whoever has the grá, passion or desire and my daughter will not be disadvantaged by being one of four with three brothers. We will not put too much pressure on her - she is only five - but as of now she has the same shot as any of the boys in that.

Before I go into the individual comments in Members' contributions, I thank people for their compliments about the work of my Department. I acknowledge, as Senator Paul Daly did, those who have gone before me in leading the way on this, and I pay tribute to some exceptional officials in the Department of agriculture. I do not get to recognise them very often. I am joined by Mr. Sean Bell today. People like Ms Elisa Goode in the Department are passionate about this area. The Department is now led for the first time by a female Secretary General, and Ms Sinéad McPhillips, from the top down, has shown real leadership in this space. I attended a number of women in agriculture events in Mexico and Asia when our Secretary General was assistant secretary with responsibility for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and more.

I am proud of the leadership role Ireland plays in respect of women in agriculture. This debate on the motion tabled by Senator Boyhan has allowed me to touch on much of that progress while also taking on board the points raised about education and other things, which have been constructive. Senator Boyhan made a significant reference to Our Rural Future, which he has a copy of. The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, under the Minister, Deputy Calleary, who I work closely with on this, LEADER funding and all the areas we care about that traverse both farming and rural Ireland, is currently drafting a new rural development strategy with a significant contribution from my Department, including input on promoting women in agriculture, as we did in the first strategy, and taking it to the next level. The Senator can be reassured that the points he made about that were heard.

Senator Boyhan also referenced the transfer and ownership of land. The commission on generational renewal we brought together as a group to look at the huge challenges in generational renewal came up with a report that had 31 clear actions. It called out the challenges and barriers around gender, access to land, access to finance and beyond. Those challenges are in that space.

A number of colleagues mentioned the green certificate through education in secondary schools and others said it about transition year. The green certificate is a valuable document. It is the mechanism through which the tax supports the State's way of supporting generational renewal, so there is a high standard for it and it is there for good reason. Senators alluded to impediments, and the point was made about the National Stud by Senator McCarthy. For good reason the green certificate is cherished and we have to be careful of the accreditation. We do not want to undermine it in any way.

Senator Boyhan also made a point about children and their place on the farm in the context of women. I was Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety for four years and am still disturbed by the poor attitude we have to risk on our farms. Irish farmers are seven times more likely to lose their lives in a farm workplace incident than any other of the 2 million workers in this country because of that poor attitude to risk. I always think if we had more female farmers leading on our farms, they would not have as poor an attitude to risk. Senator Boyhan said it in the context of children and where children play on the farm, but in all aspects of what farmers do in general, they have too much of an attitude that near misses are acceptable in life. They are not and should not be. Women farmers have a voice with which they speak out and call it out more.

Senator Paul Daly talked about the women in his life as well and about making farming attractive. In many ways, that is about taking away the barriers. That is important.

Senator Brady spoke about his grandmother. I also reflected on my grandmothers. I am the first generation in a long time on both sides of my family not to be a full-time farmer. That is for now, but I will go back to being one again. He also spoke about Carina Roseingrave, the Department's ambassador, who I will reference later, and the structure under which she wants to bring children onto her farm and what they can learn. It is important. A number of colleagues referenced food security, and explaining where food comes from is a key part of that. The Senator spoke about the role of his daughter on his farm, which is heard of as well.

Senator Collins also talked about taxation structures and the cultural change and education proposals.

When Senator Cosgrove spoke about education and it being a subject for the junior certificate examinations as a crossover with home economics and other subjects, it brought home to me both that we are the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the value of our food and good nutrition and where that comes from. It is the responsibility of everyone in the household and on the farm to advocate for that. The female farmer, whether or not her name is on the herd number, and we want there to be more of a partnership approach, has a key role to play.

Senator Noonan touched on that when he talked about the role of ambassadors in many ways and his and my former colleague, the former Minister of State and Senator, Pippa Hackett, and the work she did.

For Senator Clifford-Lee, food security is an integral part of it and I will be making points as part of our EU Presidency on the reform of the CAP. In the context of all the eastern European countries wanting more money to be spent on defence, we will be talking about the next CAP and the need to fund and support it in the context of food security. The role female farmers have in that space is important. I reflected on the fact that there were probably more female farmers in the ICA in north County Dublin a generation ago than there are now, but I agree with her comments on the ICA and the point I made.

Senator Clonan could not stay, but he reiterated the point on food security and children in our schools. I am aware, as Senator Costello said, that we have some very proud farmers in Bóthar na Brúine, particularly dairy farmers. Not everyone thinks there are farmers in Tallaght, but she advocated well for them.

I thank both Senator Joe Conway for the points he made and Senator Stephenson, who talked about the women in agriculture action plan.

In my remaining time, it is important to say that women account for just over 13% of farmholders in Ireland, despite making up 34% of the agriculture workforce and being heavily involved in family farms throughout the country. Addressing this imbalance is now a clear priority under the programme for Government, the CAP strategic plan and Food Vision 2030. Farmers face complex challenges, from climate change to rising input costs, access to land, succession and market uncertainty.

In meeting those challenges, we cannot afford to overlook the contribution, leadership and innovation of women working across every aspect of the agri-food sector. Increased participation and visibility of women in agriculture has been a priority for me, and it has also been articulated by colleagues in the House this evening.

Guided by the women in agriculture action plan, we have introduced a series of targeted measures, including 60% grant aid for women farmers under CAP investment schemes; women-only knowledge transfer groups, mentorship and leadership initiatives; and ongoing work to address succession barriers that disproportionately affect women. Indeed, Ireland is one of only two member states to have specific measures under the CAP strategic plan to improve gender equality. I hope that through our EU Presidency, I will be able to reinforce that point and encourage other member states to reflect on it as the new CAP is being negotiated. By promoting equal access to education, advisory services and investment opportunities, the CAP strategic plan aims to create a more inclusive agricultural sector that values and supports the contribution of women, strengthens our rural communities and aligns Irish agriculture with broader EU commitments on equality and sustainable development.

In addition, the national action plan on women in agriculture represents a significant and welcome step forward. It recognises the barriers that many women continue to face - from visibility and recognition to access to land, finance, representation and decision-making - while also setting out practical actions to create meaningful change. Since the launch of the plan in January 2024, Ireland has taken a number of important steps towards improving gender equality in our agri-food sector. We have established a dedicated working group made up of stakeholders from across the sector to oversee implementation of the action plan. We have delivered targeted information, awareness and networking initiatives, highlighting women’s contributions to the sector through in-person events, online webinars and social media campaigns.

A review of the terms and conditions and eligibility criteria for Department schemes and payment supports was undertaken to ensure they do not present unintended barriers to women’s participation in farming. This includes the improved collection of gender-related data. We have improved the herd number application process, with updated application forms, guidance notes and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and transparency across the system. We have continued to prioritise increased viability across the sector through initiatives such as the Spotlight on Female-led Sustainability booklet and the gender equality excellence in agricultural education studies award established in collaboration with the UCD school of agriculture and food science. Work on the plan is ongoing, and an implementation report will be published later this year.

Education, visibility and representation are key drivers of change, as many of the contributions today have highlighted. The women in agriculture working group has prioritised promoting agriculture as a viable career for girls and women, supporting flexible education pathways, improving gender-balanced communications and creating platforms that highlight female leadership and innovation across the agri-food sector.

Progress requires cultural change, strong representation, equal access to opportunities and continued support for women at every stage of the farming journey. It also requires us to challenge perceptions about who a farmer is. The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 provides an important opportunity not only to celebrate the immense contribution of women in farming, but also to further drive equality and sustainability within the sector. It is a chance to ensure that the next generation of women entering agriculture can see a future where their voices are heard, their work is recognised and their leadership is valued. We have taken a leading role internationally, including co-sponsoring the launch with Jordan at the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome last year. Ireland is promoting the role of women in sustainable agri-food systems globally, recognising that empowering women farmers strengthens food security, rural economies and climate resilience. My Department held a conference to launch the year in Ireland and to celebrate International Women’s Day. At that conference, I announced the new International Year of the Woman Farmer ambassador, who will represent women in Irish agriculture, raising awareness of existing supports and highlighting issues important to women farmers. As Senator Brady outlined, Carina Roseingrave, this year’s ambassador, has certainly hit the ground running. Further events for the International Year of the Woman Farmer will be held throughout the year.

Women have always been at the heart of agriculture. The task before us now is to ensure that policy, opportunity and recognition finally reflect that reality. The future of agriculture depends on our ability to build a sector that is sustainable, resilient, innovative and fair. That cannot be achieved without fully recognising and supporting the role of women in farming and rural life. The women who work in agriculture today are innovators, business owners, land managers, educators, community leaders and custodians of rural life. Their contribution deserves not only recognition, but investment, support and equal opportunity. As it is in line with Government policy and my priorities as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I support the motion on women in agriculture. I thank Senator Boyhan for putting it forward and thank all Members for their contributions.

With the indulgence of the House, I wish to acknowledge the great people from Voice for Kare in Kildare, who are in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. It is a fantastic organisation. I welcome the CEO, Ms Margaret O’Neill, and the other visitors.

I, too, welcome our guests from Kildare to the Visitors Gallery. I hope they enjoy their visit. It is clear the Minister knows them. They are very welcome. I call Senator Boyhan.

I will not delay. It has been a long night. I thank the Minister for coming to the House and for his ongoing support. I acknowledge the presence of Mr. Bell, one of the Minister’s officials from the Department of agriculture, and thank him for his positive contribution and engagement on the background information. I flagged the wording of the motion to the Department, and I found it very helpful to have its constructive engagement. There is a lesson for us all. Where we work closely together and collaborate, we can get consensus.

I thank all of the Senators who took part in the debate. It is one of the most positive debates I have been part of in all of my years in the Seanad. Everyone who came here today had a real interest and personal experience. I again thank the Minister. I know the Minister's family, and I knew his mother. It was good of the Minister to share his personal experience. Everyone had a personal story to tell in their contributions. That is unique. It represents something of our love for the land, our love for agriculture and our involvement. Everyone who came here clearly has a huge interest in this.

I acknowledge the Leas-Chathaoirleach, who is an active and proactive member of the agricultural panel. We collaborate and work well together. I thank her for that ongoing support. I also acknowledge the president of Macra na Feirme, who is a woman, and the vice president of the IFA, Alice Doyle, who is proactive and very engaging on all things agriculture. I want to commend the Library and Research Service, which serves this House so well. It provided a blog and background information on the matter. That was circulated yesterday, and was very helpful.

I am grateful for the cross-party support for this motion. We really have something very special. I have a final appeal. The Minister will be embarking on a very busy six months from July with the Presidency of the European Union. It is a very special, privileged place. Deputy Heydon finds himself at the centre of that as the Minister for agriculture and by being a central part of agricultural policy across the European Union. It is challenging and exciting, and I wish him well. More than anybody, the Minister has an opportunity, and the Irish EU Presidency has an opportunity, given that agriculture will be one of the key pinnacles of policy development during the EU Presidency. I ask the Minister to keep the focus on active engagement in sustainable agriculture, horticulture and forestry, and the great role of and great opportunity for women.

I go back again to the issue of how we support and empower women, but also men and everybody who wishes to be involved in agriculture and sustainable food production. That is what it is all about. We are going nowhere if we do not have food. At the same time, we also want to continue to demonstrate our practical support for rural communities, for they will die if they do not have agriculture and land-based economic activity. At the AILG conference a few weeks ago, there was a presentation by the GAA on its clubs, which are dying in parts of rural Ireland. Parish life is collapsing in parts of rural Ireland. There is an interconnectivity to all of these things that bring about lively, sustainable and vibrant rural communities. I thank the Minister. I wish him well for the very exciting six months of the Presidency of the European Union.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Tomorrow, at 9.30 a.m.

Is that agreed? Agreed.