Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to liaise with the Irish Farmers' Association and other farming organisations regarding the future challenges and developmental needs of the agri-food sector; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to respond in a positive way to such submissions by these organisations if in the context of common agricultural policy or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7368/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have regular meetings with the farming organisations in relation to the future challenges and developmental needs of the agri-food sector and these meetings are supplemented by frequent meetings and contacts at official level. It is established practice in my Department to consult widely in relation to new initiatives and proposals for change and to establish Consultative Committees composed of all stakeholders to inform policy. For example, the Consultative Committee on CAP reform, established by my predecessor, was set up for the specific purpose of obtaining the views of all stakeholders, farming organisations included, on the reform proposals. This committee comprises all the major farming and agriculture related representative organisations involved in Social Partnership as well as a number of academics. It meets at regular intervals, most recently in November of last year.