Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

111. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had discussions with his counterparts in the EU on the future of the CAP budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25995/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

114. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the strategies he and his Department are taking to ensure a fully funded, designated CAP budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26071/25]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I raise with the Minister an issue with regard to where Ireland stands on the upcoming CAP negotiations. Farmers envisage a lot of difficulties in the future. While prices are high at the farm gate, farmers will still depend on having an adequate CAP in place to guarantee their future and sustainability. There are serious concerns around this kite that has been flown about changing Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 and maybe amalgamating them with other areas. There are concerns that this funding will not be ring-fenced or available in the future. We would like to get reassurance on what the Minister's proposals will be going forward.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 114 together.

As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am working closely with the EU institutions and my counterparts in other member states to try to influence the next Common Agriculture Policy. The CAP is central to the EU’s success in ensuring food security, supporting farm incomes and developing rural areas. The CAP also remains critical to the agrifood sector’s resilience and competitiveness, as it has since Ireland joined the EU more than 50 years ago.

I recently set out my four key priorities for the next CAP. First, we need a CAP that is more straightforward for farmers. Second, we need a more flexible and responsive CAP. We need a CAP that has an appropriate balance between all elements of sustainability. Finally, and most importantly perhaps, an adequate and dedicated budget is needed for an effective CAP, as Deputy Kenny outlined and with which I am sure Deputy Aird will concur.

I am determined that the CAP will continue to play a positive role in supporting Irish farmers, our food industry, rural communities and the wider economy into the future. It is a key responsibility of the Government to raise Ireland's concerns with our EU partners and to try to influence EU policy. For my part as Minister, I meet my counterparts in the AGRIFISH Council every month to discuss and shape agriculture and food policy in the EU. I will continue to engage with Christophe Hansen, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, and my fellow EU ministers on the issues affecting the agrifood sector, including the CAP post-2027, at Council meetings, as well as in bilateral discussions that occur on every occasion. My next meeting of the AGRIFISH Council is next Monday in Brussels and I will travel there on Sunday evening. I will prioritise these engagements at a European level, particularly in preparation for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026 which will be a pivotal time.

The point Deputy Kenny raised relates to the initial multi-annual financial framework, MFF, and the overall budget, which is obviously a critical part of this. That is why, as one of my top priorities in my role, I have set in train the process of putting the building blocks in place. Ensuring a foundation is in place means my 26 EU colleagues, the other ministers for agriculture, know what our priorities are. They want to tell me what their priorities are before we have the Presidency and before I take the chair as planned in July next year.

I should note that the funding for the CAP forms part of the broader EU budget known as the multi-annual financial framework or MFF. This is ultimately agreed by Heads of State and Government at the European Council. The European Commission is due to set out proposals for the next MFF this July. Commission proposals for CAP post-2027 negotiations are likely to follow shortly after that, with negotiations on both the future MFF and future CAP running in parallel.

Ensuring the CAP remains a priority in the next MFF is essential. While the EU faces rising demands in areas such as defence, security and competitiveness, we must ensure the social cohesion and stability of our rural communities is maintained. Achieving an adequate and dedicated CAP budget and retaining the full toolbox of support measures under Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 will be challenging, given the other pressures on the EU budget and proposals for new MFF funding structures. However, I am working closely with colleagues across the Government and with my counterparts in member states to underline the importance of food security to EU autonomy and security. We should not be talking about defence and security without including food security as part of that conversation. I will also underline the vital role farming and food plays in our rural communities and economies and the important contribution farming and food make to EU competitiveness, innovation and climate and biodiversity ambitions.

As CAP and the MFF negotiations progress, Ireland will continue to advocate for a simplified, well-funded and adaptable CAP framework that supports farm resilience, environmental ambition and rural development. Ireland will play a key role in these negotiations in the run-up to and during our Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is clear that the multi-annual financial framework is going to be vital going forward and we will get a sense of where it is at. The key issue for farmers is that there are so many competing interests. The Minister mentioned defence and security which is the one in the headlines at the moment. I concur with him that food security is vital for everyone across the European Union and across the globe. When we have huge problems, such as those we have at the moment where we see great uncertainty from the point of view of conflict and tariffs, all of which can have a huge impact, it is vital in Ireland and across Europe that farmers are made sustainable. It is vital to know we can produce our own food to feed our people and that farmers can do so in a way that gives them an income and keeps them sustainable. That is what we need to do. We need a longer CAP, one which stretches out further so there can be more assurance further into the future. That is vital because the short term nature of CAP so far has been to the detriment of Irish and European farmers.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Recent reports that the European Commission is considering dismantling the ring-fenced CAP budget are very worrying. This move would be a dangerous mistake for Irish agriculture, rural communities and food security across Europe. Agriculture cannot be sacrificed to meet other EU priorities such as defence or security. We cannot take food security for granted. I and farmers like me work tirelessly to produce safe, sustainable and affordable food. Farmers must not be left carrying the financial burden of broader policy shifts.

I know the Minister is aware that what we are facing is potentially the most serious threat to CAP in a generation. The CAP budget must remain strong, separate and, most importantly, increased. Rising costs and inflation have already reduced its value. The CAP budget must be increased to ensure it reflects the real economic challenges facing farmers today.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank both Deputies for their contributions. It is very important when we have questions on agriculture, food and the marine that CAP is at their heart because it really is so important to everything we are doing. To go to some earlier points about CAP and in particular, Deputy Kenny's, to have a longer CAP, a longer budget period would be needed because the budget drives the other.

On the concerns, this night last week I gave an address at the IFA CAP conference held at the Kilashee Hotel in County Kildare. It was very well attended by more than 500 farmers. There was a lot of concern, as Deputy Aird outlined, but I made the point that historically CAP proposals have come after the MFF and that has not always served us particularly well. Some very big decisions can be made during the MFF process on the budget that CAP had to then deal with afterwards.

Commissioner Hansen saying he will come up with proposals in July as well, at the same time as CAP, has concerned some people and farm organisations but it is better if we try to do them concurrently and try to engage. I look forward to meeting the Commissioner again next Monday and when we attend a number of events together in the coming weeks, I will convey those points back to him.

One of my main points is the issued raised by Deputy Aird about taking food security for granted. Before the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine, we did take some things for granted in Europe. We did not in Ireland. Enda Kenny and previous taoisigh asked other European colleagues to pay more into the overall budget so we could protect the CAP. It should be remembered that after Brexit there was talk about the CAP being decimated by up to 30%. Environmental money was used to supplement it and with that came the conditionality that farmers have stepped up to the plate to achieve. Overall, we cannot have food security taken for granted, the same way energy security has been challenged, and the Ukrainian crisis has focused minds in that regard. I very much hope it will focus minds in these negotiations as well.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister and recognise all of that. At the core of this, and it is the point our colleague from Laois made, is the issue of Pillars 1 and 2 and the kite being flown regarding where we will be in the future. It is something that really needs to be dealt with because farmers are fearful when change comes in like that that we will see an erosion, particularly of Pillar 1, which is the direct payment they get that they depend so much on throughout the country. It is particularly so along the western seaboard and in the west. Farmers are on more marginal land and are struggling more, and they need that payment and assurance into the future. It would be vital to make sure that happens.

On the budget itself, this point goes back many Governments. Every time we have a CAP we see the budget squeezed down a little bit. It has not kept up with inflation; it has actually reduced systematically for farmers. We need to see a reversal of that if we are to have a future for farming that will be sustainable across the country and across the European Union.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is significant concern about the Commission's intention to release its vision for the post-2027 CAP at the same time as the EU budget plan. We cannot have this railroaded through. This approach, without consultation, is entirely unacceptable. Major decisions about the future of European agriculture must not be made behind closed doors in Brussels. Farmers must be heard. I urge the Minister to take a clear stance and, first, oppose any attempt to merge or dilute the CAP budget; second, ensure the CAP remains focused on its core goals of farm income for farmers, food security for Europeans and strong, sustainable communities, which is fierce important; and, finally, ensuring proposals under the CAP simplification package must deliver real, practical improvements at farm level and not more red tape.

I wish the Minister well in his CAP negotiations. The expectations of Irish farm families rest on his shoulders. They are trusting him to deliver. He cannot come home without a CAP budget that is ring-fenced for Irish farmers.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

No pressure there. Thanks for that. I jest. The Deputy is dead right that it is that serious.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Yes.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It absolutely is. We know how well Irish agriculture has been served down through the years and through successive CAPS and the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 structure. I have grave concerns around any attempt to change that. Not only do I have concerns for the impact on farming, which is why I will fight so hard to articulate the Irish position very clearly, but I also have concerns about the impact on the Single Market. If we go into national policies where everything is in there together, countries will very much go back to doing what they are doing alone. While there has been a lot of frustration with some elements of the CAP, and some very valid points have been raised here, the CAP has served us well in many other respects in terms of delivery. The point around the broader overall envelope and how much money there is to do this ultimately comes down to the appetite of member states. If there is an increased ambition in defence and other areas, is the appetite there for member states to ask their citizens to pay more to be a part of Europe? It is very difficult to see how all of the additional ambition can be delivered in a meaningful way from a pot that did not have the same level of expenditure on the likes of defence the last time. We hear of a lot of European countries with this level of ambition and this will be the kind of conversation that will have to happen across member states. They will happen at prime ministerial level as well and at the Council of Europe where they are doing that overall budget.

On Deputy Aird's final point about the focus and simplification of CAP, this really is two parts. The first part is about the budget and I am working with all colleagues across government to make sure we put our best foot forward on that one. The second is when we know the position we are in, we will continue to have that engagement across Europe but use the flexibility open to us to deliver the most focused, simplified CAP that works for our farmers and works for our agrifood industry.