Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans he will present to the European Commission in regard to the need to introduce a package of market supports and direct aid for farmers in view of the difficulties arising from poor prices for livestock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7206/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The agri-food sector is of critical importance to the Irish economy, and its regional spread means it underpins the socio-economic development of rural areas in particular. Brexit depending on the outcome has the potential to have a very significant impact on farmers and on the agri-food sector.

There are on-going discussions with the Commission regarding the difficulties facing Ireland, and the assistance that might be required for its agriculture food and fishery sectors.

I and my officials have been working very hard for quite some time to sensitise other Member States and the European Commission to the potentially very severe impacts of Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors, and to the likelihood of specific supports being required in order to deal with these impacts. The institutions of the European Union are very well aware of the likelihood of a significant impact of a disorderly Brexit on Ireland’s economy because this has been part of the discussion from the beginning, and indeed this is explicitly recognised in the Commission’s own communication on contingency planning.

Most recently, I held a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Hogan to discuss the potential impact of a disorderly Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors. We discussed the unique exposure of these sectors to the threat of a disorderly Brexit, and the challenges that it could present. I stressed the need to be ready to deploy a range of measures to mitigate the potential impacts on farmers and processors, including through traditional market supports and exceptional aid under the CAP's Single Common Market Organisation regulation, and increased flexibility under State Aid regulations. Commissioner Hogan reiterated the EU’s readiness to respond and support Ireland, and we will remain in contact on these issues as the situation evolves.