Joe Healy says these were starting to happen before Britain decided to leave the EU.
Ireland has traditionally been a nation of small, full-time farmers living a subsistence existence.
In the last 40 years most small farmers have taken jobs off-farm and are part-time. But many of the sons and daughters of these farmers have acquired a good education and have little interest in farming as such.
Those who have remained farming are keen to expand.
Large beef producers on good land are now converting to dairying as beef prices fall and the restrictions on milk production in the EU have lifted.
“You will see more people examining the prospect of becoming a dairy farmer if they have a block of land that can carry 100 - 150 cows minimum.” Healy told Rural News.
As for how this may affect NZ, Healy says Ireland’s widely admired environmental programme Origin Green will give it a competitive advantage in the market.
It’s possible Ireland and NZ will be fighting each other for global market share.
