Micheal Martin

The European Commission could split the content of an EU-Mercosur free trade deal to lessen the ability of its opponents to block it, MEP Michael McNamara said.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal this week, Micheál Martin said the retirement scheme could be funded from the Exchequer and from the next CAP.

There is a need to facilitate farm retirement to have a much smoother and incentivised progression of young people into farming, the outgoing Tánaiste has said.

"The EU does need more money to develop its work, but it can’t be at the expense of the CAP," Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told the IFA national council on Tuesday.

“I do not think the country would appreciate the entire green grass of Ireland, our 40 shades of green, being replaced with 40 shades of grey,” the Tánaiste said.

James Hanly presents the final episode of this season's Plough On podcast, bringing you the latest news and views from Ploughing 2024.

National Ploughing Association managing director Anna May McHugh said that the overall mood for this year’s Ploughing was incredibly buoyant and positive.

To separate food production from the climate change agenda, if that’s what Europe wants, then Europe is going to have to pony up more funding to make it worthwhile, Micheál Martin has said.