Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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311. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he has taken at EU level to ensure that additional beef imports which would depress beef prices do not enter the single market. [51456/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the question of market access for agricultural goods, including beef, is often one of the most difficult issues to resolve. The Department and I are therefore very active in ensuring that any market access provisions included in these FTA negotiations are balanced, and that they take into account all potential impacts on Irish and EU producers.

I take every opportunity to raise concerns and priorities for the Irish agri-food sector in EU FTA negotiations at EU Agriculture Council of Minister meetings. The Department also plays an active role in developing Ireland’s contribution to EU discussions on FTA negotiations, including at the EU Trade Policy Committee.

In situations where the EU is proposing to increase EU market access for agri-food products, including for beef, we use our influence to minimise the quantity of tariff rate quotas provided for. We also seek additional conditionality or segmentation to apply to these TRQs, for example through:

- splitting beef TRQs into separate frozen and fresh categories;

- maintaining in-quota tariffs;

- extending phase-in periods.

I also continue to impress on the European Commission the fact that full account must be taken of its own recently updated assessment on the cumulative impact of trade deals on the agri-food sector. This includes the potentially very damaging impact of Brexit on an already delicately balanced EU beef market.

With regard to on-going and future EU trade negotiations, I will continue to insist that appropriate safeguards which protect the interests of the Irish and European beef sector are included in the final agreements.