Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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103. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on his recent meeting at the European Agriculture and Fisheries Council, AGRIFISH, in Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67158/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Burke for raising this important issue. Once a month, I go to Brussels to meet the other 26 ministers for agriculture at what is known as the AGRIFISH Council. The most recent meeting took place in Brussels on Monday, 17 November. With Ireland's Presidency of the EU commencing in less than eight months, I took the opportunity to continue my proactive engagement with ministerial colleges to ensure that Ireland delivers an impactful Presidency for all of the EU. At the Council, I took the opportunity to raise a number of important issues for Ireland. In the round-table discussion regarding the post-2027 CAP, I stressed the importance of the CAP continuing to remain a fully funded policy capable of delivering a viable income for our farmers, as well as ensuring food security and promoting rural resilience. The future of the CAP is extremely important in safeguarding the viability of our farmers and rural communities. It is, therefore, important that the specifics of the CAP are provided for the next EU budget, our multi-annual financial framework, MFF, and the CAP is sufficiently visible as a discrete entity within the overall budgetary structure.

Challenges facing EU trade were also on the agenda and I raised a number of important issues in this regard. Regarding the carbon border adjustment mechanism, known as CBAM, I stressed the real challenges that this regulation poses in the context of its potential impact on the fertiliser costs for EU farmers. I highlighted the importance of working together to provide certainty for affected operators and to monitor closely any impacts on the Irish and EU agricultural sectors.

I have also raised Ireland's concerns regarding preferential EU market access being given to Mercosur countries if South American farmers are not subject to the same sustainable farming standards as our own farmers, particularly when it comes to the beef sector. I also reiterated Ireland's unwavering support for Ukraine.

In relation to fisheries, I outlined Ireland's concerns and priorities regarding ongoing negotiations on fishing opportunities for 2026. I will continue to work with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to articulate the importance of supporting our fishers at this difficult time of negotiations.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Where are we with the Mercosur issue? The Minister outlined that the same level of regulations do not apply. We in Ireland have strict protocols and regulations in place, yet we are allowing products to come on the market that will not necessarily have the same level of scrutiny. If this goes ahead, we will be in a situation where there is an unfair set of regulations for Irish and EU producers compared to producers from outside the European Union. Are we satisfied with that? Is enough analysis being done on the regulations in place for those countries?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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As a proposed trade agreement, Mercosur is the responsibility, first and foremost, of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. As Minister for the agriculture sector and farmers, I continue to highlight the sensitivities of this trade proposal for our beef sector in particular. I believe strongly that Ireland and our agriculture sector benefit greatly from our open trade policy and from being part of the EU, including, in general, the trade agreements it concludes. This does not mean we have to support every single trade deal. In alignment with the programme for Government, we work with like-minded countries because we have those concerns and sensitivities. We have also analysed the safeguards that have been put in place by the EU. The proposals around how they would be implemented and interact with the legal instrument is a really important consideration as well. To stop this deal would require a blocking minority of at least four member states, with at least 35% of the population. That is why I have engaged with key colleagues. At the most recent meeting, I met my French and Italian counterparts, continuing the commitment in the programme for Government to work with like-minded countries that share those concerns around the proposal.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister referred to the period post-CAP 2027 and the challenges there. CAP has given support to farmers in Ireland and across the EU. The question now is what will happen post 2027. There is also a scenario arising with those involved in farming. We have an older age profile. What is being done to try to keep people in the sector across Europe? This is not just an Irish problem but one right across Europe. The issue is that if we do not have people involved in agriculture, we then have a difficulty with food security. Is enough being done at European level to make sure we have a sufficient number of people producing the goods in order that we have food security for all member states?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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These are the pertinent points for all the negotiations on the new CAP. We are aligning that discussion on what the new CAP will look like with the proposals around the multi-annual financial framework at the same time.

Ultimately, at the heart of what the CAP can deliver beyond 2027 is the question of how much money is in the pot for it. We know Commissioner Hansen secured a ring-fenced commitment of 80% of the existing budget. That is not enough; we need more. Ireland has a key role to play in the Presidency from July of next year for six months. It is 13 years since we had this role. What I am doing at present at AGRIFISH council level is building that engagement with other member states, colleagues and counterparts, and, through bilaterals, understanding what their priorities are for the CAP.

From my perspective, the EU is a very successful peace project. The Common Agricultural Policy was one of the first initiatives at the heart of the then EEC and this was because it was recognised that hunger was one of the biggest causes of conflict. No more than we have become a bit complacent about peace in Europe, we have become complacent about food security as well. That is why we argue really strongly that while there are new demands for increased spending on defence, climate and different areas, and that will put the budget under strain, they cannot come at the cost of investing in the Common Agricultural Policy and in our farmers who produce the top-quality, safe and nutritious food that is needed.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy Byrne.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I am still to come back in. To come back to the issue of the age profile of the people in farming, I am not sure at European level we are doing enough on that. From an Irish point of view, this is a huge challenge. I was talking to someone recently who lives in an area where there are four major dairy farms within a mile of one another and all of them will be gone within the next five years. I am not sure we are doing enough forward planning on that area.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Very quickly, Commissioner Hansen has expressed in his draft proposals really strong ambition on the area of generational renewal. I want to be able to design approaches in the new CAP that address the issue of generational renewal. However, what I have just talked about in relation to my efforts and the ongoing efforts across the Department of agriculture to retain the nitrates derogation is key for generational renewal and giving certainty and confidence to young farmers. My new bovine TB action plan, funded to the tune of €157 million next year, gives certainty to young farmers who are thinking of investing but are afraid of getting a breakdown in their herd. My support for the tillage sector is about giving certainty-----

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Generational renewal is at the heart of everything we do and will be at the heart of negotiations for the new CAP as well.