Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements regarding the Common Agricultural Policy post 2027. [66741/25]

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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130. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on his work in relation to the negotiations for the Common Agricultural Policy post 2027; if he has had meetings with his ministerial counter parts in other EU member states on the matter; if he has had meetings with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66461/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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146. 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. [66669/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date at EU Council discussions in relation to the need to ensure that adequate funding is provided for CAP in the next Multiannual Financial Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66609/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Farmers are extremely worried at this time and believe that the Minister is going to cut the CAP budget by up to 25%. I ask for reassurance today that the Minister will not do that.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take questions Nos. 110, 130, 146 and 164 together.

I thank the Deputies for their questions. If what Deputy Bennett talked about is done, it will not be me who does it. I am fighting to try to avoid that happening. I am working really closely with the EU institutions and my counterparts in other member states to influence the negotiations for the next CAP and the next Common Fisheries Policy, CFP. I am continuing to meet my counterparts at monthly meetings of the AGRIFISH Council and having bilateral discussions on the sides of those meetings as well as separately with individual ministers in order to understand their priorities for the next CAP and to explain Ireland's priorities. It is important to note that there is a long way to go in these negotiations and the Commission proposals published in July are a starting point only. There will be ongoing, regular engagement with the Commission and with other member states as the negotiations progress.

My priority is for a CAP that provides stability, fairness and predictability for farmers and rural communities and one that simplifies rather than complicates. At the most recent AGRIFISH Council meeting, held in November, I took the opportunity to underline the importance of a strong CAP budget in delivering on economic, social and environmental objectives and expressed my concern about the proposed degressivity measures. I emphasised that the CAP must remain a policy that balanced fairness and competitiveness, thereby ensuring adequate support for smaller farms while sustaining viable production at all levels. I also highlighted the need for the careful design of possible measures to address food security risks and the need for reserves to be designed carefully and to remain exceptional, transparent and market oriented. Finally, I sought further clarity on the proposed integration of CAP within a wider national and regional partnership plan structure and expressed my concerns on the level of the CAP budget.

The CAP must remain a distinct, fully funded policy with clear governance, capable of sustaining farm incomes, food security and rural resilience. That requires an adequate and fully funded budget. On the margins of the Council, I have held many bilateral meetings with my ministerial counterparts and have engaged with nearly all member states at this point. These discussions have provided a valuable opportunity to exchange views on the Commission’s proposals and to emphasise our shared priorities for a strong, well-funded and workable CAP that supports farm incomes, food security and rural resilience. I am having all of these bilateral meetings and engaging with colleagues to explain Ireland's priorities as well as to understand theirs. From 1 July next year, Ireland will have the Presidency of the EU and if I am still in this role, God willing, I will be in the chair and have the Presidency of the AGRIFISH Council, which will give us an opportunity to really shape this.

At the same time as these discussions are happening, discussions are happening around the overall budget, the multiannual financial framework and where that is at. I am working with colleagues across all levels of Government to make sure that we get the best possible return. The CAP is critical for our overall economy, our farmers, our rural economy and beyond.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Our farming families produce the highest quality food in the world while also adhering to some of the highest environmental and animal health standards in the world. If there is a proposal to reduce the CAP budget, I ask that the Government fill in the vacuum.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. It goes without saying that in the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework, we must ensure that there is robust and ring-fenced CAP funding. As we all know, this is essential for farm incomes. It is essential for investment in rural Ireland and it is also essential for food security. Far too often, we do not talk about protecting food production in western Europe. As the Minister referenced earlier, the Common Agricultural Policy was devised to ensure the citizens of Europe had a secure supply of safe food. We should never lose sight of that aim and that strategy. That is the reason we need a CAP that is properly funded.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I took the opportunity yesterday to meet with Macra na Feirme to discuss its concerns around the new CAP and the impact it would have on farmers and on rural communities. Its members were particularly focused on generational renewal and knowledge transfer, and the CAP was key for funding generation renewal plan. Will the Minister give members of Macra na Feirme assurance that funding will be available for generational renewal and that action will be taken on implementing that plan?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister give a short reply?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputies Bennet, Smith and Moynihan for raising what gets to the heart of the CAP - having enough money it in. What has been ring-fenced is 80%. It is not enough. I agree with Deputies Smith and Moynihan in terms of the importance of generational renewal, the next generation and certainty for all farmers. In direct answer to Deputy Bennett's point around the NRPP and the national regional plan, what Europe is saying is that it has less money than it had the last time and we should go back to our country and fight it out over here. We are all saying there is not enough from Europe. I have sharp elbows and I can assure everyone in the House that when the time comes to fight the corner of agriculture at the Cabinet table, I will do that. However, if I do that now, Europe will say we are grand as we got the money locally. We get as much out of the pot in Europe as we can for our farmers because Ireland is a net contributor to the overall multi-financial annual financial framework. Some 75% of our receipts for the entire Exchequer come back through the Common Agricultural Policy. If we allow that to be reduced, the overall economy, urban dwellers as well as rural dwellers across Ireland, suffers.

Therefore, I am continuing to fight. It is really important that the CAP negotiations continue in line and in tandem with the multi-annual financial framework negotiations as well. We will continue to work across government, as will the Tánaiste as Minister for Finance, the Taoiseach and everybody, to get the most into the Common Agricultural Policy as we can because that matters to Ireland overall. Then discussions at national and regional levels will be down the line. I will do everything in that regard at that point but right now, it is about getting Europe to recognise the importance of food security, as Deputy Smith has said. It is an integral part of everything we do. The EU was a peace project.

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

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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At its heart was food security. The Common Agricultural Policy has been really successful and we cannot lose sight of that.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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So the farmers have no need to worry.