Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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627. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that have been taken at Council of European Ministers level regarding the future EU financial framework beyond 2020 and the vital funding provided to farmers under CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34411/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The debate on the future EU financial framework beyond 2020 is one that is only commencing, and from an agriculture perspective it is one that will of course be closely linked to the debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.

It is clear from the preliminary, and largely informal, discussions that have taken place to date, that expenditure on the CAP will come under close scrutiny. Indeed, in the more formal discussions that have started on the mid-term review of the current financial framework up to 2020, the Commission’s communication includes advance notice of the need to evaluate expenditure on, particularly, the cohesion and CAP budgets, particularly in light of the new demands that are emerging in the areas of, for example, migration and security. We have responded to this very directly by stating our concerns about such an approach, and by emphasising the key role that the CAP will continue to play into the future in achieving important EU strategic objectives in the areas of, for example, jobs and growth, and dealing with the challenge of climate change.

A formal communication in relation to the post-2020 EU budget is not expected from the Commission until late 2017 or early 2018. However, Ireland will in the interim continue to promote the relevance and effectiveness of CAP expenditure, and will strongly defend the need for a budget that matches the strong ambitions for the CAP in the post-2020 negotiations.