Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for allowing me the opportunity to come in here and explain exactly where we are on this. I apologise for the absence of the Minister. The Deputy quite rightly pointed out that he was on other business. He is in Japan, where he has succeeded in opening up the trade for beef in that country, which is hugely welcome right across this country.

In June 2013, political agreement on CAP reform was achieved under the Irish Presidency. It was also hailed as a great success by all European Heads of State and the Commission. This agreement marked the first time that three main European institutions came together to agree the framework for the development of the European agriculture sector, which has enabled the sustainable development of the sector up to 2020 and beyond.

A key step in the implementation of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy will be the design and introduction of a new, rural development programme for the period 2014-2020. The development of a new rural programme under Pillar 2 will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agrifood sector, achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas, which we all want and need. The new rural development programme will be based on the provisions of the draft regulation on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This draft regulation was originally published by the European Commission in October 2011. Discussions at Council working group level took place under the Polish, Danish, Cypriot and Irish Presidencies of the European Union prior to reaching a Common Position in June 2013.

While the draft regulation has not been formally adopted, its provisions represent the framework for the work carried out to date on the new rural development programme. It is expected that this programme will be formally adopted before the end of this year. The new programme must be based on six priority areas for rural development, as set out by the Commission. These priority areas are fostering knowledge transfer and innovation; enhancing competitiveness; promoting food chain organisation and risk management in agriculture; restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems; promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy; and promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas. In addition, through addressing at least four of these six priority areas, the new rural development programme must also contribute to the cross-cutting teams of innovation, climate change and environment. The challenge in designing a new rural development programme is to take all of these considerations into account, while also ensuring that the measures chosen to form part of a new programme are clearly in line with the smart, green growth objectives of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy.

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