Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to adaptation to climate change, my Department is preparing its first statutory adaptation plan for the three areas identified in the national adaptation framework, for which my Department has responsibility, including seafood, agriculture and forestry. We published an adaptation planning document for the agriculture and forest sector last year and advanced work on the seafood element, which will set the groundwork for future adaptation planning.

The Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, budget is fundamentally important to Irish farmers. The protection of the environment is a core feature of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and proposals for a new Common Agricultural Policy, to operate post 2020, require 40% of the overall budget to contribute to environmental or climate action. The importance of having a well-funded CAP is more pertinent than ever if we want to see this ambition become a reality.

Our farmers are custodians of the land. Supporting them for good environmental practices that enable them to respond to climate challenges and opportunities is not only an investment in our agriculture sector but in wider rural communities. While the mitigation potential for agriculture is limited, agriculture can and must play a key role in contributing to Ireland's climate change and energy targets in the years ahead. We have a thriving agrifood sector which is efficient and environmentally conscious and one that we can all be justly proud of. Collaboration, co-operation and collective responsibility are necessary to meet the challenges that are facing us, and we will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the sector continues to play its part in meeting our climate obligations and challenges.