Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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764. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if changes were made to the farmers' charter; if the farming organisations had an input into the changes as agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22707/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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A Farmers’ Charter Review Group was set up in 2014 with a view to agreeing a new Farmers’ Charter of Rights. The Farmers’ Charter Review Group was chaired by an Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and comprised of senior Department officials and representatives of the main farmer representative organisations.

Following on from positive engagement by all parties, negotiations between my Department and the main farming organisations on a new Farmers’ Charter of Rights concluded on Thursday 11 June 2015 with consensus achieved on the Charter. There have been no changes made to the Charter in the intervening period.

A Farmers’ Charter of RightsMonitoring Committee has been established under an independent chair to monitor agreed targets and standards. This Committee is comprised of representatives of the farm organisations and staff of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Monitoring Committee has met on three occasions since its establishment.