Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

An initial consultation process was launched with stakeholders by my Department in July 2009 to obtain views on what EU agriculture policies would serve Ireland and the EU best in the years to come. The responses received are helping to inform our position in the negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, after 2013.

In 2010, a consultative committee on the CAP after 2013 was set up by my Department comprising all the major farming and agriculture related representative organisations involved in social partnership as well as a number of academics. The committee has met on several occasions, most recently in November of last year. The most recent meeting provided an opportunity for all the stakeholder organisations to give their initial reactions to the formal Commission proposals. The committee also participated in the stakeholder events organised by my Department during the visit of Commissioner Ciolos in 2010 and again in January 2012.

Commissioner Ciolos also launched a public consultation process during 2010 providing an opportunity for all stakeholders and interested parties to give their views on the future of the CAP. My Department wrote to interested stakeholders in this regard advising them how to participate in this consultation process and encouraging them to do so to ensure Ireland's voice is heard at every opportunity. While it is still early days in the negotiations, my officials and I will continue to consult all stakeholders as the negotiations progress.

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