Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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860. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the charter of farmer's rights; the organisations he will engage with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13202/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have recently established a Farmers’ Charter Review Group to discuss a new Charter and Action Plan for farmers to replace the Farmers Charter and Action Plan 2009-2011. The Review Group is chaired by an Assistant Secretary in my Department and is comprised of Department officials and representatives of the main farmer representative organisations. It held its first meeting on 3rd March 2014. The Irish Farmers Association, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association, Macra na Feirme and the Irish Co-Operative Society have nominated representatives to sit on the Review Group.

A number of meetings of the Review Group will be held over the coming months to agree standards of service in respect of Department schemes to which the new Charter will apply. The new Charter will set out payment and decision targets in respect of these schemes and take account of any measures agreed under the CAP reform programme and the new Rural Development Plan. A Charter Monitoring Group will be established under an independent chair to monitor Charter commitments.