Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin did engage in the written consultation process. The Deputy would not get what was important and valuable in the process because he did not show up to any of the marts to listen to the farmers who were sharing their views. Some of those meetings lasted for three or four hours. The engagement and feedback were phenomenal. There were many different perspectives and varying views. That was important for framing the CAP and ensuring farmers were at the centre of it.

It is ultimately the role of Government to put together the CAP strategic plan and to submit it to Europe. It is important that we put farmers at the centre of it and that is absolutely what I did. If the Deputy would like to engage through the agriculture committee, through which there were many engagements, or otherwise, I am happy to discuss the CAP in more detail and in any way he would like. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the Government to submit the strategic plan.

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