Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On this day, one year from Brexit, it is worth recalling in this House that one of the great successes of the EU has been the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. The Common Agricultural Policy has ensured an adequate supply of food at all times at a reasonable, affordable price for consumers, and a high standard of food. That is a misunderstood aspect of the Common Agricultural Policy at times. It makes sure that people can get food, that there is enough food and that it can be reasonably priced. It has to be subsidised to achieve that. It is of extraordinary importance to farmers in this country. The Teagasc report said that it ranges from 38% of income on dairy farms to an extraordinary 115% on cattle rearing farms. It is of huge importance to the farmers. It is of particular importance this year because of the very difficult winter, fodder price, margins being reduced and psychological and financial stress that that is creating for farmers. That brings the importance of the CAP into focus. To give a practical example, in County Cavan, current figures show that the CAP brings in €54 million while it brings in €41 million into County Monaghan. It is obviously crucial to the local economy.It could be said that rural Ireland effectively depends on the Common Agricultural Policy and that were it to suffer, one could close down rural Ireland, including small towns, villages and the entire human infrastructure. My point is that in the context of Brexit, which is going to happen in some form, it is crucial that we preserve the Common Agricultural Policy and its budget here. There must be no diminution of that budget. If anything, it needs to increase to take account of the very low margins in the current environment. I will not go through the list of schemes that can arise from this. That is another day's debate. However, I am asking the Leader to make sure that Commissioner Hogan appears before the House, as he is planning to do, to discuss the maintenance of the Common Agricultural Policy. I also ask that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, comes into the House to discuss how he proposes to pursue this fight within a European context. This is a question of national interest that is surpassed by none other.