Coughlan vows to tackle food issues
Speaking at the national ploughing championships in Grangeford, Tullow, Co Carlow, she said agriculture had changed during recent years and her predecessor Joe Walsh was very much involved in managing that change.
She said she would be looking at issues of food.
Quality product, consumers and consumer affairs would be very much to the fore she said.
“It is great that it is the first time there has ever been a woman Minister for Agriculture.
“People who know me would say that I am very straight-talking and I like to see changes, but I also like to compromise.”
Ms Coughlan said she had been very involved in agriculture since she was first elected to the Dáil in 1987 because she represented an agricultural constituency.
Stressing that a balance was needed between larger and smaller farmers, she said she would know smaller farming better than larger farming enterprises.
“Some people would say it is economically silly to support small farmers on the land. I totally disagree with that.
“I see an opportunity to ensure that there is a quality of life in rural Ireland and if that means that we have part-time farmers well then, we have part-time farmers,” she said.
Asked about the announced closure by P&O of the Rosslare-Cherbourgh ferry service and the effects on the livestock business, Ms Coughlan said the live export trade was very important to Ireland, especially in relation to weanlings.
“We will certainly be doing anything we can to ensure there is a continuity of that service, not necessarily with P&O but that the provision would be there.”
Ms Coughlan said sustainability was one issue that stood out in farming - how to address the issue of so many young people not being particularly interested in farming and, at the same time, the necessity to support the most important industry in the country.
She was given a warm welcome by farmers at the championships and even tried her hand at ploughing with two Irish draught mares, owned by brothers Joe and Padraig Fahy, of Corrandulla, Co Galway.
The horses, Dolly and Molly, had just competed in the senior horse class.
Onlookers were delighted with her ploughing efforts.
