Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am also going to ask that Ministers come to the House. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing shenanigans in the Lower House, the committees are not up and running. We are not a functioning Oireachtas. I would normally bring the issue I wish to raise to the agriculture committee or the finance committee, or I would get a party colleague to do so on my behalf. I refer to the ongoing negotiations in respect of the EU's multi-annual financial framework for the period 2028 to 2034. The Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, comes under this framework. We need to be involved at the coalface when it comes to protecting the CAP funding available under the framework.I strongly request that the Minister for agriculture and-or the Minister for Finance come in and brief us as to the state of those negotiations at the moment.

CAP funding represented 73% of the EU budget back in 1980. Last year, it was down to 24%. All the talk at the moment, rightly so to an extent, is about rearmament and investment in defence and security, immigration and climate action. We are expediting the entry of Ukraine into the EU, which I warmly welcome and hope happens. However, as an agricultural country, Ukraine would then be drawing up to 20% of the CAP funding, again rightly so. However, are we allowing for that or will we end up robbing Peter to pay Paul? When that framework is put together, the money needs to be divvied out to the different sectors. I would be terribly fearful that CAP will get cut once again.

We have gone way beyond the commencement of the debate on food security. We can talk about all the other geopolitical issues that there are, but, as Napoleon said, a war was never won on an empty stomach. We need to feed the people first and foremost. It is vital that we know where those negotiations stand. Because I cannot go to a committee, I am asking the Leader to bring the Ministers to the House to brief us on where that is at the moment.