Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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7. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that the combination of Brexit and CAP reform will not negatively impede the development and viability of the agrifood export sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38178/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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This question seeks to raise the possible double negative impact of Brexit and the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, to try to ensure the future viability of the agrifood production sector and our exports.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important point. As he will be aware, political agreement on CAP reform was reached at the end of June. The agreement strikes the right balance between ensuring a fair distribution of payments between farmers and achieving a higher level of environmental and climate ambition. This is a fair, flexible and farmer-friendly deal in the context of the many competing pressures we face in reaching a solution.

The agreement provides member states with the flexibilities required to implement the CAP in a way that best suits their national circumstances, more than has ever been the case. This flexibility was one of our key objectives, and we intend to use it as effectively and as fairly as possible to ensure that our CAP strategic plan, CSP, will be designed in a way that secures a sustainable future for Irish agriculture on all levels — economically, environmentally and socially. We cannot have one without the other; they are all interlinked, as our agrifood strategy for 2030 recognises, based on Ireland taking a food-systems approach.

As the Deputy will be aware, the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into effect on 1 January 2021. It creates a new framework for the future EU–UK relationship based on tariff and quota-free trading arrangements. Now that the UK is outside the Single Market and customs union, it is setting its own import policy, including in regard to controls on imports from the EU. The next phase of these controls will come into effect from 1 October 2021. All consignments of products of animal origin moved to or through Great Britain must be accompanied by an export health certificate and pre-notified to UK authorities.

My Department continues to refine its preparations, which include the deployment of the necessary staffing resources, IT systems and administrative processes to meet the requirements. Industry will also have a vital role to play in ensuring that these requirements can be met as seamlessly as possible, through consolidating and simplifying their official certification requirements to the greatest extent possible.

I am satisfied, as are my colleagues in the Department, that a collaborative approach, involving the Government and stakeholders, to meeting the challenges that lie ahead will ensure a viable agrifood sector.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his substantive reply. Does he remain satisfied that the negotiations on compliance with revised UK standards will be resolved to the satisfaction of the industry here? Is he satisfied that the steps being taken by the industry are sufficient to ensure the future viability of the sector, with particular reference to employment in our respective constituencies?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Absolutely. Deputy Durkan will be aware that the changes brought about by Brexit comprise entirely new ground for us. These are challenges that Irish agrifood businesses face. We in the Department are dealing with the agrifood businesses every day to make them as prepared as possible for all the next stages, with 1 October being another important date in the calendar for companies that export products of animal origin to or through Great Britain. We work really closely with those concerned. Extensive planning and trialling of all systems is ongoing to try to identify all the challenges we will face and to ensure our businesses will be as prepared as possible. We are taking the time we have to ensure businesses are aware of the challenges and informed about what is expected of them. There is a range of approaches. In my area, covering trade and market export, it is important that businesses are aware of the changes because there is now a new normal. Brexit has brought that about in that it has made Britain a third country. I am satisfied that every effort is being made and every step taken to ensure businesses are prepared for all the changes that are coming.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State again. Is he satisfied that there is in his Department a quick-response system that will identify the issues as they arise and attempt to clarify outstanding difficulties to ensure the streamlined continuity of exportation from the point of view of industry here and given the importance of the industry in the aftermath of Covid and the need for the economic recovery that we all long for?

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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The Minister mentioned Britain being a third country. One of the biggest effects of that is that it is free to negotiate deals with other countries. What impact, if any, does the Department foresee from the deal Britain has concluded with Australia, particularly concerning the importation of beef and the possible displacement of Irish produce? If Irish produce is to be displaced in Britain - even if it is not - live exports will assume a certain importance in Ireland. I do not know whether the Minister of State’s Department has any update on that. I do not expect him to have the information off the top of his head. I appreciate the fact that I am able to ask the question. If the Minister does not have the information off the top of his head, he might provide an answer in writing to either or both of the supplementary questions, which arise from Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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It is not possible to touch on all the points raised here in the minute I have. The points Deputies McNamara and Durkan raised are valid. They relate to all the challenges Brexit presents. My Department has been preparing for this eventuality since before the people of Britain voted to leave. We have been working extensively on it since. Part of the work has involved examining our dependency on the UK market and reducing it. Previous Governments have been successful in reducing it. In my area, new market development, it is a matter of considering the opportunities. One such opportunity involves increasing our access to Japan’s beef market, on which we had great success in recent months. We are continuing our work in areas such as South Korea and trying to get our beef back into China through ongoing diplomatic efforts on my part and that of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. That is important.

Our trade with the UK, resulting in a proportion of 37%, is really important. In response to some of the concerns raised by both Deputies, we take great heart from the fact that the British consumer has very high regard for Irish food produce and trusts it as much as indigenous produce. It is regarded as being way ahead of the produce of others. There are threats and challenges in this regard but we are taking every step we can. The work of my officials is ongoing to make sure we are as prepared as possible.

On export certification, to which Deputy Durkan alluded, there is a new normal and businesses need to prepare for it. There will be a need for them to be aware of the changes that are coming. Most of them are aware. We encourage all of them to engage with our Department so they will be aware of the challenges they face.