Martin Heydon
Kildare South · Fine Gael · Ireland
“In the time allotted to us, I would say we will not be able to cover everything in CAP. To take the last point first, the budget is everything. While it is not part of my negotiations as chair of the AGRIFISH Council, it is a key focus of the Irish Presidency.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. A key focus of Food Vision 2030, the shared stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector, is to grow the value of Irish agrifood exports in international markets, which, as I outlined earlier, we have been very successful at in recent years.”
“All producers selling raw milk must register with my Department and are subject to risk-based official controls that include inspection, audit and sampling.”
“Whether it is farmers with particular issues that are leading to environmental issues or issues with structures that need to be replaced, we are very lucky to have capital support in agriculture. I really believe in our TAMS structure.”
“I was delighted to be able to introduce the tillage sustainability support scheme earlier this year. I have not been found wanting in standing up and supporting a tillage sector that has been under pressure in recent times. The same applies to horticulture.”
“Following the publication of the report, I wrote to the chairperson of the board on 22 June 2026, requesting that the board develop a timely and effective action plan to address the recommendations in the report, and I will be seeking regular updates on its progress. I want to see these recommendations implemented and progressed.”
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“I emphasised that the CAP must remain a policy that balanced fairness and competitiveness, thereby ensuring adequate support for smaller farms while sustaining viable production at all levels. I also highlighted the need for the careful design of possible measures to address food security risks and the need for reserves to be designed carefully and to remain exceptional, transparent and market oriented. Finally, I sought further clarity on the proposed integration of CAP within a wider national and regional partnership plan structure and expressed my concerns on the level of the CAP budget. The CAP must remain a distinct, fully funded policy with clear governance, capable of sustaining farm incomes, food security and rural resilience. That requires an adequate and fully funded budget.”
“It is important to note that there is a long way to go in these negotiations and the Commission proposals published in July are a starting point only. There will be ongoing, regular engagement with the Commission and with other member states as the negotiations progress. My priority is for a CAP that provides stability, fairness and predictability for farmers and rural communities and one that simplifies rather than complicates. At the most recent AGRIFISH Council meeting, held in November, I took the opportunity to underline the importance of a strong CAP budget in delivering on economic, social and environmental objectives and expressed my concern about the proposed degressivity measures.”
“I propose to take questions Nos. 110, 130, 146 and 164 together. I thank the Deputies for their questions. If what Deputy Bennett talked about is done, it will not be me who does it. I am fighting to try to avoid that happening. I am working really closely with the EU institutions and my counterparts in other member states to influence the negotiations for the next CAP and the next Common Fisheries Policy, CFP. I am continuing to meet my counterparts at monthly meetings of the AGRIFISH Council and having bilateral discussions on the sides of those meetings as well as separately with individual ministers in order to understand their priorities for the next CAP and to explain Ireland's priorities.”
“These are the types of measure that are having a real impact and 54,000 farmers put their hands up for that additional environmental conditionality, proving that they can continue to produce top-quality food and supplement their incomes by taking measures that have made a real difference to their areas. That is what I want us talking about and focusing on in ACRES from next year onwards. Again, I thank the Deputy for his support in this area.”
“I thank Deputy O'Shea and colleagues across the House for their support as we worked through the challenges on ACRES. I am committed to having permanent fixes in place so that we can get back to talking about the good things that ACRES is delivering for our environment. More than 54,000 farmers are delivering more than 9,000 km of watercourse protection through buffer strips on areas adjacent to rivers, streams, lakes and wetland riparian zones. More than 500,000 native trees and more than 2,300 km of new hedgerows have been planted. The scheme has seen 14,000 barn owl nest boxes installed and 57,000 hectares of grassland left undisturbed to support overwintering geese and swans.”
“I appreciate the patience that has been shown by participants as we resolved these issues. My Department has been developing solutions to solve issues permanently rather than applying quick fixes. It is really important that any solutions developed avoid the same issues and the very concerns that the Deputy has outlined. ACRES has paid out almost €700 million to farmers in this country since 2023. It is a really positive scheme that has delivered massively for our environment and that is what I want to get back to focusing on. We are in that space now.”
“I completely agree that it is important to get this right. When I got this job on 23 January, there were 14,500 farmers who had signed up in good faith but had not been paid. The problem was on my Department's side through systems failures that had happened. We worked really hard and put extra staff on it. I visited the team in Wexford. We looked at the systems and tried to change them around. There was a lot of overtime and a lot of people put their shoulder to the wheel to get the momentum back up. At that time, no regular payments were being made but the issuing of payments has gathered considerable momentum this year, as knowledge and experience of the scheme has improved and as functionality has been deployed to address the challenges that were encountered.”
“My Department is actively resolving the remaining issues through, for example, the development of the required IT functionality and the investigation of issues associated with specific contracts. In cases such as change of contract, my Department is unable to progress the payment claim until the legal requirements have been resolved. We are working through these issues. We have identified and addressed the issues that arose at the start and the system is functioning much better now. I am happy to expand further in my supplementary response.”
“These payments will bring the amount paid in respect of ACRES since its commencement in 2023 to almost €700 million. This reflects the Government’s commitment to achieving a range of environmental, biodiversity, water quality and climate objectives by supporting farm families in their environmental journeys. ACRES is an ambitious and complex scheme, and there have been challenges as a result. We are overcoming those challenges through the commitment of all those involved in the scheme, including farmers themselves, ACRES advisers and the ACRES co-operation project teams. The main issues that have impacted on the making of payments have been identified and they include contract and ownership or partnership issues, issues with scorecards and the alignment of ACRES data with basic income support for sustainability, BISS, scheme information.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising the important matter of the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, which is the flagship environmental scheme provided under the 2023-27 CAP strategic plan, with €1.5 billion in Exchequer and EU funding allocated over the course of the scheme. There are currently just under 53,700 participants in ACRES. ACRES payments issue on a scheme year basis, with 2023 being the first scheme year for tranche 1 participants and 2024 being the first year for those who are in tranche 2. Almost €250 million has issued in respect of the 2023 scheme year, with over 99% of participants paid. A total of €268.4 million has issued in respect of the 2024 scheme year and over 98% have now received the payment. Finally, 2025 advance payments have now commenced, with €179.6 million issuing in the first two payment runs.”
“I also recognise the constructive role that the stakeholders, farm organisations and industry have played throughout this process and their patience at a stressful time for everybody involved.”
“The engagement of her officials who have been over here and I have met in Brussels numerous times has been important. It is fair to say that their starting point and our starting point were two different positions. We have a proposal now that I have confirmed to the House is for an extension of the existing derogation for a three-year period, with other new conditionalities that I will confirm closer to the time. All of my focus now is on engaging with colleagues across the member states so that if there are any concerns or issues ahead of that vote, we give ourselves the best chance possible. This is not done yet. It is at a sensitive point. I look forward to the engagement.”
“I thank the Deputy for his remarks. Ultimately, it is an important step in a process. The process now is with the technical committee that meets on 9 December. It was always our intention and ambition in all of our negotiations to get the best possible proposal agreed by the Commission and then put that on the agenda for the 27 member states and that technical committee to hopefully vote on. We still do not have a derogation. As of now, we do not have a derogation on 1 January. It is in the hands of that committee. I negotiated in good faith. There was detailed engagement between my officials and EU officials. I pay tribute to Commissioner Roswall, who came over at my invitation to visit an Irish farm - the Durkin's farm just outside of Kilcullen in County Kildare - to see at first hand the intergenerational work that was at play.”
“We are lucky that the vast majority of our product that is exported goes to countries that accept regionalisation. They will only ban the export of product from that restriction zone and surveillance zone, not for the whole country. Some markets ban it for the whole country and do not differentiate. That is a broader challenge. The compensation model that is set out in the Act from 12 years ago is very much targeted at those flock owners.”
“To reiterate, the Animal Health and Welfare Act provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed. It is specific. It has clear criteria, and rightly so. If a flock owner or farmer is being asked to remove their entire herd or flock for broader national reasons in the best interests of stopping the spread of disease, that is the most important thing. We do all of that as well as a mandatory biodiversity measures and housing measures to get ourselves back to a disease-free status as soon as possible. The 3 km restriction zone and 10 km surveillance zone remain in place for three months after a positive case. At that point, we can get back to having disease-free status in that area.”
“These valuation tables are updated on a six-monthly basis. It is important that this be taken on a case-by-case basis because no two cases are the same. The impact on the financial viability and valuation of the birds at a set time is continuously upgraded. It means that, where a flock owner enters the worst case imaginable of having to have their entire culled, there is a process there for them to engage with that is fair and up to date. My Department is engaging with owners impacted by recent poultry outbreaks in assessing the compensation due to them where depopulation of their flocks and destruction of related material has been directed to control the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.”
“The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by my Department in the event of an outbreak in that herd or flock of certain diseases, including highly pathogenic avian influenza. The compensation may relate to the animal that is culled, or to an animal product, animal feed or similar item that is destroyed in relation to the outbreak. The compensation may not exceed the open market value of the animal or item. Since 2017, my Department has engaged an external consultancy firm with specialised knowledge of poultry to develop valuation tables relating to the most common species and types of poultry in Ireland to be used to determine compensation payable in the case of an outbreak of poultry disease that necessitates a cull.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Unfortunately, there have been four outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in turkey flocks since early November, one each in counties Carlow, Meath, Monaghan and, most recently, Laois. I express my sympathy to the flock owners concerned. I acknowledge the worry this situation is causing to all those in the poultry industry in Ireland. These outbreaks follow the detection of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in wild birds across the country throughout 2025. It is this ongoing circulation in wild birds that is posing such a risk to poultry and captive birds. Biosecurity is the most effective way to prevent the virus infecting flocks, and this is why I implemented mandatory poultry biosecurity regulations on 1 November and a housing order for poultry and captive birds from 10 November.”
“In line with the programme for Government, I have continuously worked with like-minded countries. Most recently, on 17 November, I had bilateral meetings with the French and Italian ministers for agriculture. Previously, I have met the Austrians, Latvians, Polish and many others. I continue to have that level of engagement where we discuss our mutual concerns and engage in the process as it is ongoing.”
“I cannot be any clearer than I have been. At every AGRIFISH Council meeting, I have raised Mercosur and our concerns about it. I am not the lead Minister with responsibility for that; it is the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who has that key consideration. I take my role at the Cabinet table seriously. I use my role as a representative and custodian of our farmers and food producing industry to highlight points. I recognise that the vast majority of trade deals benefit Irish agriculture, our farmers and our rural economy, but that does not mean we have to accept every single part of every single trade deal that is put forward. We have continuously highlighted and raised our sensitivities around the Mercosur trade deal.”
“It is about balance but we benefit largely from it because we export 90% of the food and drink we produce. We absolutely need it to be a level playing field. We need to make sure those standards are there, that there is confidence in our products, whether the food is produced in Europe or comes in. We will reiterate those points, but the checks and balances are there. This is non-negotiable for the EU. It is strong on that and we will look for further assurances to make sure our consumers, as well as our farmers and primary producers, can be reassured about it.”
“Trade is two-way. In response to the Deputy's original question, I said clearly that we are in a space where we need to have absolute confidence that any food that comes into the EU meets our standards. Our sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, food safety standards are non-negotiable. They are the standards to which we expect our farmers to produce food in the EU and we do not accept secondary standards for anything that comes in from outside the EU. Should we produce everything here? That is a different argument in a way. We could get very protectionist. There was a time when Ireland tried to be self-sufficient in its food production system. We were a poor country back then. The highly integrated nature of trade around the world is here to stay.”
“This ensures that Ireland remains compliant with and, in co-operation with other member states can shape, European Union legislation in this area. Reports of the Irish Farmers' Journal investigation into the sale of hormones and antibiotics in Brazil raise important issues and merit careful examination, as I said previously. Brazilian beef already enters the EU market, and it is therefore important to ensure that none of the unregulated products referenced in the investigation are used in its production. While there is no evidence that this is the case, these reports reinforce the need for further vigilance.”
“It is the number one selling point of Irish agrifood products and as a country we export 90% of the food and drink we produce. Food safety and public health are fundamental to Ireland's agrifood industry, as I said, and to the protection of consumer health and safety, but also consumer confidence. My Department plays a central role in implementing and enforcing EU food safety rules across primary production, processing, official controls, imports and exports. As Minister, I routinely attend the European Council in its agriculture and fisheries formation to engage directly with my European counterparts on food safety, public health and other issues. My Department also regularly attends EU meetings on issues regarding food safety and public health to present the Irish position on the legal and technical issues under discussion.”
“I thank Deputy Kenny for raising an important point. It gets to the heart of what we do. From a food safety and public health perspective, a lot of the conversation in Ireland has tended to be about sustainability in recent years, what our farmers are doing, producing food sustainably and profit. When we travel abroad on a trade mission, the first thing that is mentioned, particularly in places like Asia and beyond, is our safety credentials. They are second to none and it is something the Department never takes for granted. However, as farmers we might. We almost never mention it any more because food safety is not an issue unless there has been a scare. In countries that do not have confidence in food safety, it is the number one priority. That is why we will never be complacent about this.”
“The fair deal scheme has had a specific impact on farmers. While it is not under my remit or that of the Department of agriculture, I have engaged with previous Ministers for Health on it and I would be happy to work with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on this area as well. The last Government made changes around it and we want to be able to give certainty, clarity and comfort to people who are planning the transition of land in the most difficult of circumstances. We want to make sure the fair deal scheme is fair in how it does it. I will be happy to work with the Deputy and colleagues across the House on that issue, because how it affects farmers and how it affects small businesses more broadly is a key consideration.”
“Having certainty that we will get on top of that perennial issue, which has been around for 75 years, with a new approach is a key measure. My support for the tillage sector is a key measure in giving confidence for generational renewal, as is making sure farmers have a good solid income. When we talk about sustainability as a three-legged stool, the economic sustainability is every bit as important as being able to deliver the environmental and societal sustainability.”
“I agree with the Deputy in many ways. The question I am most often asked about generational renewal is whether there will be a scheme in the next CAP or what it will look like. I want to be able to develop a succession scheme and I hope to have the resources to do that, but young trained farmers will not make life-long decisions based on whether they get one grant in 2028 and put everything on hold until then. Generational renewal gets to the heart of everything I do. The efforts we are making to try to ensure we have a derogation for nitrates for the next few years is critical to giving certainty to young trained farmers to invest and take the plunge into full-time farming. My new bovine TB plan is a massive issue for the Deputy's constituents in west Wicklow, as it is in Kildare and across the country.”
“They are contained in a report that runs to 180 pages. The recommendations will be considered by an implementation group in my Department who will engage with agricultural stakeholders and the relevant public bodies. While some recommendations are for consideration in the context of the next CAP, it is hoped that others can be progressed in a shorter timeframe. Some of the taxation recommendations have already been considered and progressed in budget 2026, with those extended for a longer period than had been requested or anticipated.”
“Despite this support, the average age of farmers continues to rise. The most recent figures show that only 4.35% of farmers are under 35 years of age and some 37% of farmers are over 65. In September, I launched the report of the commission on generational renewal in farming. Generational renewal, including farm succession, is a complex issue and there are many factors involved. The commission on generational renewal in farming was established to examine this issue and has produced a thorough analysis and made 31 recommendations across a wide range of areas, including CAP supports, pensions, taxation, access to finance, access to land, collaborative arrangements, advisory services, education and training, the important issue of gender balance and the overall attractiveness of the sector. These recommendations will be carefully considered.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this point. While he is in a different constituency, he is the TD who lives closest to me, as we straddle the border between Kildare and west Wicklow. The challenge of generational renewal in farming has been widely recognised at both national and EU level. The programme for Government prioritises supporting intergenerational farm succession. Food Vision 2030, our shared strategy for the agrifood sector, states that generational renewal in farming is critically important to ensure the future viability and social sustainability of the Irish agrifood sector and of rural Ireland. Ireland provides a range of supports, including initiatives under the current CAP strategic plan, a suite of strong taxation measures and access to finance, as well as advisory and education and training supports.”
“It starts in November with migratory birds coming in. This has been a bad start to what is a high-risk period that will run until approximately next April. Through the enhanced mandatory biosecurity measures, the implementation of the housing order, which helps, and the strong vigilance of our industry and flock owners, in close consultation with my regional veterinary officers, we can stay on top of this so fewer people are impacted into the future.”
“I confirm it is very possible that the Deputy will be able to eat turkey on Christmas Day. I very much hope that will be the case. We all know how important that is. I do not jest. This is important to our turkey farmers. I have huge sympathy for the four flocks that have been impacted. It is a devastating blow to an individual flock owner. On the broader scale, it is important to reiterate to the public that it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry and egg products. The measures being taken are to stop the spread. I commend the four flock owners because their actions and those of the affected owners in the surveillance zones and restriction zones are for the greater good of the country so we can get back to disease-free status as soon as possible. We in the higher-risk period and there is no doubt about that.”
“I share great sympathy with those involved and the impact this has had on them. This virus is obviously very easily transmitted. We could not possibly have members of the public walking into an area where the virus has been and taking it out on their shoes or whatever else. When we talk about strict biosecurity measures, this has been reflected in the process across government. Since 2017, my Department has employed the services of an external consultancy firm with specialised knowledge of the poultry industry to develop valuation tables relating to the most common species and types of poultry in Ireland. As I say, compensation, from my perspective, is for the commercial and forestry side. The Government is, however, very much aware of the challenges for Fota.”
“In terms of compensation in general, the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by the Department of agriculture in the event of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The compensation may relate to the animal that is culled, or to an animal product, animal feed or similar item that is destroyed in relation to the outbreak. The compensation may not exceed the open market value of the animal or item. My compensation scheme is very much targeted towards the commercial sector. My responsibility is for the commercial sector. We monitor the wild bird population, but it is the responsibility of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The Deputy asked a specific question about Fota Wildlife Park.”
“Strict biosecurity measures remain the best way for poultry and captive bird keepers to protect their flocks from the disease. Flock owners should remain vigilant of any signs of the disease and report any suspicion to their local regional veterinary office without delay. I work closely with the Minister in Northern Ireland, Andrew Muir MLA. This is one epidemiological island. The virus does not recognise invisible borders. Introducing a housing order and strict biosecurity measures together is important, particularly when we consider the importance of our commercial poultry flock in the Border regions.”
“That establishment was closed while disease control measures were implemented in line with the legislation. The H5N1 virus has been circulating in wild birds throughout the country during 2025, as we know, creating a serious and ongoing risk of infection to poultry and captive bird flocks. My Department's laboratories have completed 821 avian influenza PCR screening tests for suspected HPAI, H5N1 in poultry, captive birds and wild birds, since 1 September. Of the samples tested, 199 tested positive for some form of avian influenza. My Department carries out avian influenza surveillance testing throughout the year in targeted dead wild birds to understand if avian influenza is circulating in the wild bird population.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this very important point. Since early November, there have been four outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, caused by the H5N1 virus in turkey flocks in counties Carlow, Meath, Monaghan and, most recently, unfortunately, Laois. My Department has been implementing disease control and eradication measures in line with the EU animal health law provisions and national legislation. This includes the placing of 3 km radius protection zones and 10 km radius surveillance zones around each holding where an outbreak has occurred, and implementing surveillance and disease control measures within these zones. Prior to this, an outbreak of HPAI occurred in a confined establishment in Cork in October.”
“The use of quality assurance schemes in other sectors has been really successful. It is challenging, it is not simple and it requires leadership from stakeholders. I want to work with people on that. We will get certainty into the sector in the medium term and beyond by moving to a value added-piece and not being dependent on world market commodity prices, which is a very vulnerable position for our tillage sector to be in. Finally, as to the efforts I am making on nitrates and other issues, land availability is a key issue, as is the price of rented land for tillage farmers. It is not an island or a silo. Irish agriculture is all interlinked. The success of how I get on with nitrates will determine and have an impact on the tillage sector as well.”
“We absolutely need to design this scheme and make sure the €30 million I have secured for budget 2026 is targeted at the farmers. I want to do this differently from the last scheme. The last scheme provided a much-needed €100 for every hectare that had seed in the ground, with no capping or conditionality around it. We can be more targeted with this €30 million, get it to those who need it the most and increase the value of it for those farmers as well. That scheme will buy us some time. The broader issue is that I want to work with the farm organisations and industry to identify how we get that value-added piece. There are things we can do in respect of native grains in our feed. The Irish whiskey file needs to be examined in terms of how we use our native grains in that or what its requirements are.”
“Unfortunately, our tillage sector is currently at world market prices and that is really hurting it. What we need to do, while having the short-term financial support I have committed to for next year and on the design of which I will work with farming organisations to make it most targeted, is to work on the value-added piece around our native grains, which I am happy to expand on in my next answer.”
“There are many different tools in our armoury to be able to support the tillage sector as part of the CAP negotiations. I attended a meeting with the Irish Grain Growers and the IFA in Killashee Hotel to which more than 1,000 tillage farmers turned up. Deputy Byrne and I know tillage farmers do not protest much or in those kinds of numbers but they did on this occasion, such is the level of desperation after three really difficult years. After that meeting, it was very clear to me that there was a need for short-term financial support to give farmers the confidence to put seed in the ground again next year. That is not the long-term solution, however. The long-term solution is the value-added piece. The dairy industry has been very successful in identifying product such as whey proteins as the value-added piece.”
“I will continue to work with the tillage sector and provide targeted support where possible given the strategic importance of this sector to the wider agriculture community.”
“I made the decision to pay all eligible applicants under the scheme. In February of this year I announced €32.4 million of payments under the tillage and horticulture support scheme, which was the Government’s response to the difficult position tillage and horticulture farmers found themselves in due to exceptionally poor weather and continued high input costs in the spring of 2024. The tillage sector is also being supported under other schemes, including the tillage capital investment scheme, ACRES and the organic farming scheme and, indeed, tillage farmers have availed of the water quality EIP, with significant areas committed to cover crops, which are a really effective tool.”
“In recognition of the tillage sector’s importance, my Department provides substantial direct support to tillage farmers. In 2026, €50 million will be made available through the protein aid scheme, the straw incorporation measure and a new tillage support scheme. Having secured this additional funding in budget 2026 to further support the sector, I intend to consult stakeholders on how this funding will be utilised. My Department has also provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers in recent years. This year, the budget for the protein aid scheme is €10 million, having increased from €7 million to €10 million annually from last year. Applications for approximately 66,000 ha of cereals and oilseed rape straw were submitted for chopping and incorporating under the straw incorporation measure this year.”
“I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this point because under the current proposals for CAP post-2027, there is a mandatory requirement for member states to put in place risk management tools. Risk management tools were optional in the current CAP strategic plan, running from 2023 to 2027, and the case for inclusion of crop insurance was examined in its preparation. However, its inclusion was not supported by stakeholders. The issue of risk management has since been discussed by the Food Vision tillage group, which included a recommendation in its final report to promote existing risk management tools and examine opportunities for an Irish model of crop or price insurance. My Department will consider potential risk management measures as part of the strategic planning for the next CAP strategic plan.”
“Very quickly, Commissioner Hansen has expressed in his draft proposals really strong ambition on the area of generational renewal. I want to be able to design approaches in the new CAP that address the issue of generational renewal. However, what I have just talked about in relation to my efforts and the ongoing efforts across the Department of agriculture to retain the nitrates derogation is key for generational renewal and giving certainty and confidence to young farmers. My new bovine TB action plan, funded to the tune of €157 million next year, gives certainty to young farmers who are thinking of investing but are afraid of getting a breakdown in their herd. My support for the tillage sector is about giving certainty-----”
“From my perspective, the EU is a very successful peace project. The Common Agricultural Policy was one of the first initiatives at the heart of the then EEC and this was because it was recognised that hunger was one of the biggest causes of conflict. No more than we have become a bit complacent about peace in Europe, we have become complacent about food security as well. That is why we argue really strongly that while there are new demands for increased spending on defence, climate and different areas, and that will put the budget under strain, they cannot come at the cost of investing in the Common Agricultural Policy and in our farmers who produce the top-quality, safe and nutritious food that is needed.”
“These are the pertinent points for all the negotiations on the new CAP. We are aligning that discussion on what the new CAP will look like with the proposals around the multi-annual financial framework at the same time. Ultimately, at the heart of what the CAP can deliver beyond 2027 is the question of how much money is in the pot for it. We know Commissioner Hansen secured a ring-fenced commitment of 80% of the existing budget. That is not enough; we need more. Ireland has a key role to play in the Presidency from July of next year for six months. It is 13 years since we had this role. What I am doing at present at AGRIFISH council level is building that engagement with other member states, colleagues and counterparts, and, through bilaterals, understanding what their priorities are for the CAP.”
“The proposals around how they would be implemented and interact with the legal instrument is a really important consideration as well. To stop this deal would require a blocking minority of at least four member states, with at least 35% of the population. That is why I have engaged with key colleagues. At the most recent meeting, I met my French and Italian counterparts, continuing the commitment in the programme for Government to work with like-minded countries that share those concerns around the proposal.”