Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of his most recent discussions on the issue of ongoing review of the Common Agriculture Policy post 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16889/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I launched a consultation process with stakeholders in July 2009 to obtain their views on the EU agriculture policies which will serve Ireland and the EU best in the years to come. I am pleased with the responses I received, which will help to inform our position during the important negotiations that lie ahead. In this House last month, I announced my intention to establish a consultative committee on the Common Agricultural Policy after 2013. The first meeting of this committee is scheduled to take place on 12 May. The committee comprises all the major farming and agriculture representative organisations that are involved in social partnership, as well as a number of academics. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Dacian Ciolos, recently launched a public consultation process to give all stakeholders and interested parties an opportunity to express their views on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. In parallel with this process, the Commission has called for specific submissions on rural development in the context of CAP after 2013. My Department has written to interested stakeholders to advise them how to participate in both consultation processes and to encourage them to do so, to ensure Ireland's voice is heard at every stage. Commissioner Ciolos will host a conference in July to discuss the findings from these consultations.

Broad discussions on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy have been under way since the second half of 2008, when the French Presidency held a first policy debate at an informal meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. Since then, every Presidency has contributed to the debate. The Czech Presidency focused on the issue of direct payments to farmers and the Swedish Presidency focused on rural development issues. At the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in March, the Spanish Presidency got agreement on its conclusions on the role of market management measures after 2013. The Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies, which make up the trio Presidency up to 30 June 2011, fully endorsed these conclusions. In addition to the discussions at Council level, my officials and I continue to engage with other member states and the Commission bilaterally on the future of the CAP. In this regard, I recently met the new Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development to outline my objectives, including the need for a robust and properly funded CAP. Commissioner Ciolos has accepted my invitation to visit Ireland in July. This will be a timely visit as it will be just in advance of the publication of the Commission's formal communication on the future of the CAP. I will take this opportunity to remind the Commissioner that my overarching view, which I have repeatedly expressed at meetings of the Council and bilaterally to my ministerial colleagues, is that we need a strong and adequately resourced Common Agricultural Policy after 2013.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I wish the Minister well in his negotiations. I believe 2010 will be a critical year. I suggest that the Commission's final document will differ little from the policy outline it will publish later this year. Does the Minister agree that the first critical phase of the negotiations on the post-2013 Common Agricultural Policy will involve securing an adequate EU-wide budget for the policy? The second critical phase will involve ensuring we retain as much as possible of the €1.3 billion we currently get. There seems to be a great deal of talk about shifting funds from Pillar 1 to the rural development side under Pillar 2. Does the Minister agree that we cannot have vibrant rural communities and rural enterprises if we do not have viable farming enterprises? Does he accept that any attempt to switch funding from the farm gate to the broader rural community is misguided in so far as it might endeavour to revitalise or retain a vibrant rural economy?

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My first meeting with the new Commissioner after his appointment was a week after he took office. I emphasised that the agricultural community throughout the EU should be transmitting a better message to the citizens of the Union. I said we need to remind those outside the agrifood sector that the Common Agricultural Policy benefits every citizen in the Union. I pointed out that the policy is hugely important from the perspectives of food security, rural development and the provision of public goods. I made those points to strengthen our proposals, plans and arguments in favour of an adequately resourced Common Agricultural Policy. That is a fundamental starting point. At the most recent European Council meeting of Heads of Government, the Taoiseach and another Head of Government were instrumental in strongly advocating that the EU 2020 document should make adequate reference to the potential of the agrifood sector to contribute significantly to economic renewal in Europe, for example by providing more jobs. All of that has to be considered in the context of the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy. Far too often, we read ill-informed commentary at national level to the effect that the policy is designed to transfer funds to the farming community. It is a ridiculous argument. The objective of the Common Agricultural Policy is to give the citizens of Europe a secure supply of safe food. It generates many other benefits in areas like regional and rural development.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Two other issues that relate to the Common Agricultural Policy are beginning to move centre stage. I refer to the issues of energy security and climate change. Is the Minister exploring the possibility that additional funding for Irish agriculture could be secured, if not through the CAP process itself, through related initiatives? Is that an option? In the context of the political impetus at EU level to address the issues of climate change and energy security, is it possible that we would be rewarded for having a model of agricultural production with a low carbon base?

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I suggest that the agrifood sector should derive more funding from the research, development and innovation directorate. We discussed that issue with the new EU Commissioner, Mrs. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, quite recently. I did not respond to the point the Deputy made earlier about the importance of Pillar 1. I am totally committed to Pillar 1. If we ensure direct payments continue to be made to farmers, we will provide some stability with regard to income levels. Adequate market management measures and stronger anti-volatility measures are of similar importance. With regard to climate change, which is hugely important, I have consistently argued at EU level that the Common Agricultural Policy can contribute to the enhancement of the environment through its environmental schemes. I have always said that the Union's efficient food production systems should not, under any circumstances, be threatened by any new international environment or climate change agreement. If we were to lessen the food production base in Europe, by definition we would move production to less efficient systems. All aspects of the farming and agrifood sector will be considered in the context of the important discussions that are under way. I have informed the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that Commissioner Ciolos will be asked to address the committee, with its agreement, during his forthcoming visit to Ireland.