Vol. 554 No. 5
234 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his proposals to address the serious migration of the farming community from the land given that the average number leaving has been 5,000 per annum approximately; the serious effect this will have on the farming industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15440/02]
The long-term trend in on-farm employment is one of gradual decline. This is not unique to Ireland. The numbers of farmers have been in decline across EU and OECD countries as a whole for many years.
The CSO's agricultural labour input survey shows that the number of farms has decreased from 161,700 in 1992 to 143,900 in 1999, the most recent year for which CSO data is available. This is a decrease of 17,800 farms or 11% in seven years, an average of approximately 2,550 farms per year. The decline has been most marked in the small farms category under 20 hectares where a 21% decrease was recorded. The average farm size has increased 13% from 26.0 hectares in 1991 to 29.3 hectares in 1999. There has been virtually no change in the number of farms over 20 hectares.
The Government is fully committed to the preservation of the maximum viable number of both full and part-time farmers. In particular, this commitment was made clear in the agri-food 2010 plan of action published in August 2000.
