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Ministerial response to Ballinamore closure disappointing – Naughten

Fine Gael Agriculture Spokesperson, Longford/Roscommon Deputy Denis Naughten has expressed his extreme disappointment with the Minister for Agriculture’s response in the Dáil this week when he raised the issue of the fate of the Teagasc Farm in Ballinamore.

The Minister for Agriculture stated in response to Deputy Naughten that ‘Ballinamore is closed.  It is for sale.  The cattle have been slaughtered and I would rather not hear any more about Ballinamore.’

“It is clear that the Minister and this Government have completely washed their hands of the issue and just want it brushed under the carpet.”

“I have made the case that the Ballinamore facility could have provided a valuable service to small holders on marginal land by developing alternative enterprises and facilitating research on farm management under the nitrates directive, especially for farmers under the 20 livestock units who are ineligible for grant aid for storage facilities.”

Deputy Naughten also tried to question the Minister and the Department of Agriculture regarding the removal of the cows from the farm in the early hours of Monday last, but the Ceann Comhairle did not permit debate on the issue.

“There are questions surrounding the procedures employed in the movement of the cattle off the Ballinamore farm by Teagasc and it is imperative that these questions are answered in an unambiguous manner.  Not only must Teagasc abide by the same rules which apply to farmers, but it is imperative that they are seen to be above reproach on such an issue.  The fact that we have failed to get clear and concise answers is unsatisfactory to say the least.”

DÁIL ÉIREANN
4 May 2005
Questions to the Minister for Agriculture

………….. Mr. Naughten: I will give the Minister another statistic to consider as she has doled out a lot of them in the past few minutes.  Since her Government took office in 1997, 70 farmers a week have left agriculture.  In the context of the single farm payment post-decoupling and the proposals on the nitrates directive, farmers with less than 20 livestock units will be under severe difficulty, as will the large commercial farmers.  In respect of the smaller producer, however, traditionally many small producers in some parts of the country would have used ring feeders for the wintering out of cattle.  That can no longer happen.  There must be a focus by Teagasc on alternative methods, whether in respect of storage, the wintering of cattle and alternative products such as going down the organic route. 
  In that respect, will the Minister ask Teagasc and the other Ministers, when she meets them, to reconsider the closure of the farm in Ballinamore, Country Leitrim?  It has a major benefit in terms of the type of marginal land, which could be used as a test farm to try out new enterprises that could provide alternatives for many of those part-time and small farmers in the western region, whether in respect of slurry storage, new wintering out procedures or alternative products, be they free range or organic.

   Mary Coughlan: I will toss back that low ball to the Deputy and also send him a curved one.  The reason many people have left farming is because there are better opportunities available due to the good economic climate that has been supported and progressed by this side of the House.

   Mr. Browne: They can do two jobs now.

   Mary Coughlan: They could do three jobs if they could get away with it.  It is a little like ourselves, except we get the same salary.
  On the other initiatives that have been made available, Teagasc has provided me with the results of some work on earthen banks.  It is now preparing guidelines for me.  It will complete in the next fortnight some more work with regard to alternative ways of wintering out cattle.  That will be made available to me in the next few weeks at which time it will be made available to everyone.
  On the issue of 20 livestock units, I indicated to Deputy Crawford that I am anxious to deal with these issues.

   Mr. Naughten: Answer the question, Minister.

   Mary Coughlan: Ballinamore is closed.  It is for sale.  The cattle have been slaughtered and I would rather not hear any more about Ballinamore.  I would say to people in the local communities and the county councils that Teagasc would be favourably disposed to facilitating any community initiative people wish to progress.  Much of the work that took place in Ballinamore has been transferred to Ballyhaise, which is just down the road.

DÁIL ÉIREANN

4 May 2005

^ Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31. ^

   Mr. Naughten: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate the following urgent matter: the procedures employed by Teagasc's estate agency to move cattle off its research facility in Ballinamore, County Leitrim; the urgent need for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to clarify the steps taken by the agency, including compliance with her Department's movement regulations, and the action, if any, she intends to take to return the stock to the farm in question.

  An Ceann Comhairle: Having considered the matter raised, it is not in order under Standing Order 31.
DÁIL ÉIREANN

4 May 2005
^ Adjournment Debate Matters. ^

   An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 21 and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Healy - the need for the Minister and the Health Service Executive to implement the High Court agreement for the provision of general hospital services in South Tipperary; (2) Deputy Connolly - the effects of changes in school transport provision on children from the Bawn-Bellatrain community attending St. Aidan's comprehensive school, Cootehill, County Cavan; (3) Deputy Penrose - that the Minister take steps to deal with the significant anomalies that have arisen in the operation of the early retirement from farming scheme; (4) Deputy Burton - the need to renovate and expand St. Brigid's national school, Castleknock following the masonry fall from the building; (5) Deputy Neville - school transport for the Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry; (6) Deputy Kirk - if the Minister will consider the possibility of establishing a replica of the Dundee City Council Family Project; (7) Deputy Finneran - that the Minister provide the necessary funds for the provision of an ambulance service for west Roscommon located at Ballaghaderreen; (8) Deputies Finian McGrath and Enright - the resignation of the president of Colaiste Mhuire Teacher Training College, Marino, Dublin 9; (9) Deputy O'Shea - the economic implications for Dungarvan and west Waterford of major job losses at Waterford Crystal's Dungarvan plant; (10) Deputy Eamon Ryan - the Waterford Crystal plant closure and how Government intends to ensure the re-employment of the workers involved; (11) Deputy Costello - that the Minister ensure that no asylum seeker sitting an Irish State examination this summer will be deported during the examination period; (12) Deputy Cowley - if the Minister will address the critical situation where the Mulranny-Achill-Ballycroy areas are left without an ambulance base; (13) Deputy Crawford - that the Minister take steps to provide full advice and education services in the Bailieboro-east Cavan area thorough Teagasc to farmers; (14) Deputy Naughten - that the Minister make a statement to the House regarding the procedures employed by Teagasc to move cattle off their research facility in Ballinamore, County Leitrim; (15) Deputy Hoctor - that the Minister give an update on the progress of the Christy McGrath case in England; and (16) Deputy Deenihan - the uncertainty surrounding the funding for child care projects in County Kerry. 

  The matters raised by Deputies O'Shea, Eamon Ryan, Finian McGrath and Enright and Kirk have been selected for discussion.