Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has plans to engage in a comprehensive process of consultation with interested stakeholders in relation to the future of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16780/10]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to discuss, with the EU Agriculture Commissioner, the future of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013, particularly in the context of the EU Commission's anticipated communication on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy later in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16781/10]

Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the consultation that has taken place to date in relation to the future of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16779/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 67 and 87 together.

I launched a consultation process in July last year with stakeholders to obtain their views on what EU agriculture policies would serve Ireland and the EU best in the years to come. I am very pleased with the responses received. These responses will help to inform our position in the very important negotiations that lie ahead. In addition I announced in this House last month my intention to establish a Consultative Committee on the CAP after 2013. The first meeting of this Committee is scheduled to take place on 12 May. The Committee is comprised of all the major farming and agriculture related representative organisations involved in Social Partnership as well as a number of academics.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos, has also recently launched a public consultation process providing an opportunity for all stakeholders and any interested party to give their views on the future of the CAP. In parallel with this process, the Commission has requested specific submissions on Rural Development in the context of CAP post 2013. My Department has written to interested stakeholders in this regard advising them how to participate in both of these consultation processes and encouraging them to do so to ensure that Ireland's voice is heard at every opportunity. Commissioner Ciolos will host a conference in July to discuss the findings from these consultations.

Broad discussions on the future of the CAP have been underway since the second half of 2008 when the French Presidency held a first policy debate at the Informal Agriculture Council. Since then, every Presidency has contributed to the debate with the Czech Presidency focusing, in particular, on the issue of direct payments to farmers and the Swedish Presidency on rural development issues. At the March Agriculture Council meeting the Spanish Presidency got agreement on Presidency Conclusions on the role of market management measures post 2013. The Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies who make up the Trio Presidency up to 30 June 2011, fully endorsed these conclusions.

In addition to these discussions at Council, both I and my officials continue to engage with other Member States and the Commission bilaterally on the future of the CAP. In this regard I met recently with the new Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos, and outlined my objectives including the need for a robust and properly funded CAP. Commissioner Ciolos has also accepted my invitation to visit Ireland in July. This is a very timely visit as it comes just in advance of the publication of the Commission's formal Communication on the Future of the CAP and I will of course, be taking this opportunity to let the Commissioner know again that my overarching view which I have repeatedly expressed at meetings of the Council and bilaterally to my Ministerial colleagues, is that we need a strong and adequately resourced CAP after 2013.