I rise to speak about the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. For decades, the narratives that surrounded CAP have been a battleground of maximising the different sectors that can extract the most from the budget, be it the suckler cow sector, the sheep sector or the tillage sector, yet the fundamental human element has constantly been ignored. I refer to the quality of life of the person working the land. For generations, farmers have not taken time off. They have not got time to take time off. I will supply some figures: a dairy farmer takes 19 days off, on average, in a total year, so is a complete slave to the land; 63% of beef farmers are forced to work off farm due to the poor income, using up to 19 days of their annual leave to work on the farm; and 87% of Irish farms rely primarily on their own family labour.

Farmers do not get sick leave. They do not get time off. When there is snow on the ground, people in other sectors can ring their workplaces and say they do not intend to go to work because the roads are slippy. Unfortunately, farmers must get up and milk their cows, feed the cattle and look after livestock. A farmer does not get the same privileges as workers in other sectors. They do not get time to say that they are taking a day off, even when bereavement hits. Therefore, I welcome the new CAP proposals, as they will support family bereavement on a farm. The proposals will support a farmer so that they can take five days off with their spouse, travel down the country and spend time away from the farm. Such provision will help with mental health in young farmers and older farmers . I welcome anything that supports our rural communities.

Hear, hear.