Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

In my engagement with Commissioner Hansen to date, I feel he is someone who gets it, both from his visit to Ireland in January and in his vision for agriculture in the different points he has outlined. He feels like somebody who understands the importance of the CAP for our farmers and food production system. The reason I clearly outlined my core priorities and those of Ireland regarding the CAP is to get them established early.

To have them established earlier, I brought a memo to the Cabinet and got approval from my Government colleagues for the approach I want to take. In the second half of 2026, when the finer details of the CAP will be in the melting pot, we will have the Presidency of the EU. At that stage, I could be chairing the EU agriculture Council. Already, agriculture ministers from the other 26 member states are looking for bilateral meetings to engage with me and tell me what their priorities are. I want to clearly articulate to them and Commissioner Hansen what our priorities are for protecting the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 payments and the separate fund for agriculture that is so important to our sector.

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