Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP, to the House. We are delighted to have her here for this discussion on "Food for Thought - Ireland and the EU 40 years on". As she is aware, prior to its accession to the EU Ireland had a predominantly agriculture based economy, and society was heavily dependent on agriculture. We were mainly dependent on the UK market and struggling to shake off the effects of years of protectionist policies. While Irish products were readily accepted on the UK market, the advantage was limited. British policy at the time was to allow the entry of overseas agricultural products, but at low prices. That left little profit for the Irish producer and it constrained wages and development within the sector. The 1960s saw a move away from this policy and with British accession to the EEC likely at that time, participation by Ireland was very attractive.

Irish EEC membership provided access to the Common Market, and the Common Agricultural Policy offered security and provided pricing levels for goods fixed at the higher rates than previously available to the Irish producer. Membership of the Common Market and, subsequently, the Single Market transformed the Irish agricultural sector and food production across the Continent. The Single Market created access to a market of 500 million people for Irish goods by removing administrative burdens for Irish food exporters.

The Common Agricultural Policy introduced a means of securing food production in Europe while alleviating the pressures on the farming community and farm incomes. The direct payment schemes allowed many to remain on the land at a time when emigration and urbanisation were becoming the norm. CAP coupled a system of direct payment with rules governing rural development policy aimed at improving the environment and the countryside and improving the quality of life in rural areas while encouraging diversification of the rural economy. Rural development measures have been instrumental in creating employment, promoting tourism and maintaining national identity in rural areas.

Ireland has been the recipient of ¤10 billion in funding under the Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund since 1973. The original aim of CAP was to make Europe self-sufficient in food but soon this aim was surpassed, creating the challenges of over-production and necessitating changes in the structure of CAP. Reform was necessary and payments were unhooked from production. Emphasis was placed on protection of the environment, the quality and safety of our food and the welfare of our animals. Laws regulating the production of food and food safety date back to ancient times, but a body of legislation now exists regulating food labelling, additive use, organic food and genetically modified production.

The BSE crisis in the 1990s pushed food safety to the top of the European agenda. The EU had to become more willing to safeguard human health and assist the industry in making a recovery. As a consequence, notification procedures were introduced and prescribed hygiene practices became standardised across Europe. Today there are continued advances in the methods of production within the agrisector with the emergence of new technologies. The evaluation and the testing of these new technologies to assess food safety can be onerous and expensive, in particular on farming people, which was mentioned by Ms McGuinness. From the time the animal is born on the farm, farmers are very careful about tagging and traceability, and rightly so, but it creates a lot of costs. However, by using the combined resources of the EU, member states will be better able to respond to these new technologies. By acting as a whole, the EU can protect public health, prevent unfair practices and ease consumer concerns.

Greater EU food safety standards have contributed to the improvement of the health and well-being of European citizens. Almost 75% of active pesticides have been removed from the EU market. An EU integrated approach to food safety is also the most effective means of making animal health a prerequisite for safe food. The EU has introduced laws on the trading of live animals and animal products which, over 20 years, have eradicated many serious diseases.

Globalisation will contribute to assisting the spread of many diseases, but through co-operation and uniform action among member states, Europe will be better able to respond. The EU is already the biggest global exporter of food and feed, amounting to ¤65 billion in 2010, but with global concerns regarding food security and food prices rising, an opportunity exists for agricultural producers and processors.

Growing levels of obesity may require a shift in focus from food safety to the nutritional value of food. However, what is clear is that these new challenges, as with previous challenges, are best dealt with through the development of a uniform and co-operative legislative programme.

In doing so, the EU will be best placed to create a sustainable, export-driven agrifood sector in the next 40 years and beyond. I thank Ms McGuinness for being with us today.