Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1360. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he or his Government colleagues requested an increase in State aid de minimis limits at EU level to target support for exposed sectors arising from the continued depreciation of the value of sterling against the euro. [38470/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1386. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline each specific Council of EU agriculture Ministers meeting at which he made the case for the need of a revision of state aid rules for the Irish agrifood sector during the UK’s two-year exit phase from the EU and subsequent transition phase; the date of each such meeting at which this was raised since he took office, in tabular form; the progress that has been made at EU level to increase current state aid thresholds to support agrifood enterprises from a hard Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38602/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1360 and 1386 together.

Regarding the Agriculture De Minimis Regulation (1408/2013), the question of greater flexibility of the State Aid rules and increasing the individual de minimis thresholds has been raised at the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 14 March 2016, 11 April 2016 and 17 May 2016 as a means to address the challenges facing the farming sector. Regarding the Council of Agriculture Ministers, on 14 March 2016, a 10 point plan, setting out proposed measures, that were practical, easily implemented and responded to the pressures on farmers and primary producers in an appropriate and proportionate way, was proposed. Among the measures proposed, was greater flexibility in the State Aid rules, with a modest increase in the de minimislimit from €15,000 per farmer over three years, up to €20,000 per farmer over three years.

Regarding Brexit, I and my Department officials are very aware of the difficulties being experienced across the agrifood sector and are continually working on developing solutions to help farmers address these difficulties. I recently met with Commissioner Hogan to express my concerns regarding the difficulties for Irish farmers and I will be making proposals to the Commission in this regard.

In addition, my Department officials are working closely with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in considering appropriate measures for the wider agri-food sector.