Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Go n-éirí an t-ádh leis sa phost sa Roinn talmhaíochta. Coming from a beef and dairy farm and having been elected to the agricultural panel, I welcome the opportunity to speak today about the importance of food promotion and accessing new markets, an area that speaks directly to our rural, agrarian economy, our farming families and our national identity. We cannot ever forget the importance of food. Food security will be a massive problem going forward. We see that with the uncertainty we face at an international level. I am also cognisant of the fact that 6% of European farmers are under the age of 35. Generational renewal in farming will be a massive challenge for us. It is something I am discussing with a lot of farming groups across the country and there is no easy solution to this. All of these are threats to food security and our food production and promotion. We have consistently championed Irish agriculture, not only as a cornerstone of our economy but as a foundation of our communities and international reputation. We know that when Irish food does well, rural Ireland does well. The programme for Government has committed us to making Ireland a global leader in sustainable food production. That commitment is not just aspirational, it is being delivered. Since entering government, we have supported the full implementation of Food Vision 2030, which builds on the success of Food Wise 2025. This strategy outlines a clear pathway to increase the value and sustainability of our agrifood exports while supporting farmers in meeting environmental goals. I welcome that the Minister, Deputy Heydon, has recently launched phase 2 of Food Vision 2030, which expands the dashboard to include economic and social sustainability indicators, which of course are vitally important.

We are already seeing the benefits of this. In 2023, Irish agrifood exports exceeded €16 billion, which was a record high. Successive agriculture Ministers have led targeted trade missions to key markets, including China, Japan, the United States and the Gulf states, helping Irish beef, dairy and seafood to reach new consumers. I note that last week the Minister, Deputy Heydon, returned from a trade mission to Japan and Korea, markets we need to continue to explore. These efforts are critical, particularly in the context of Brexit where the Government worked to ensure our agricultural sector was not left overly reliant on the UK market. Diversification in this area has been central to our response and is undoubtedly working. In line with the programme for Government we have also expanded funding for Bord Bia, enhancing Ireland's promotional reach abroad and strengthening the Origin Green brand, a world first sustainability programme. Origin Green is now recognised globally as a benchmark for responsible food production, but it is just the beginning. To stay competitive, we must continue to deepen our access to high-growth markets, especially in south-east Asia and Africa where demand for safe, traceable, premium food is rising. I believe Ireland is uniquely placed to meet this demand. This means continuing to invest in innovation, trade promotion and market intelligence. It means providing support to farmers and SMEs as they transition towards more sustainable practices and respond to new consumer expectations around climate, nutrition and animal welfare. We must also double down on food promotion in existing markets, particularly across the EU where opportunities exist to differentiate Irish produce as the gold standard.

Through Teagasc, the European Innovation Partnerships and the new ACRES, we are helping farmers to adapt and thrive in this changing landscape and holding climate change and environmental issues to the fore. This aligns fully with the programme for Government's vision of agriculture as it is both economically and environmentally sustainable. In mentioning ACRES, and I appreciate that previous colleagues have spoken about it, it is also important, when looking at the multi-annual financial framework, that we ensure from the start through our various ways and Ministers that the current CAP budget is not only maintained but also increased. The CAP budget is of vital importance to our farmers and our way of food production. It is so important that the funding is not only ring-fenced and maintained but also increased. If it is not increased, you are going backwards and looking at inflation. We are hosting the EU Council Presidency in July 2026. I believe the maintenance of CAP funding and the ring-fencing of that budget has to be a cornerstone of our Presidency.

I believe food is more than a commodity. It is a reflection of who we are as a nation. We are an agrarian economy and have been traditionally. When we look at past recessions, agriculture came through and it is important we do not forget that. We need to continue to invest in our food sector to empower our producers and open doors to new markets around the world.