Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the main policy achievements and initiatives undertaken by his Department during 2021; and his main priorities for 2022. [62188/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2021, my Department produced a new Statement of Strategyfor the period from 2021-2024 which sets out the initiatives to be progressed in the coming years under five main goals:

Goal 1: To promote and safeguard public, animal and plant health and animal welfare for the benefit of consumers, producers, the economy and wider society

Goal 2: Provide income and targeted supports to farmers and others in the agri-food sector to underpin the rural economy and optimise environmental sustainability

Goal 3: Provide the optimum policy framework for the sustainable development of the agri-food sector

Goal 4: Deliver a sustainable, competitive, and innovative seafood sector, driven by a skilled workforce, delivering value added products in line with consumer demand

Goal 5: Maintain and develop strategic, operational, regulatory, and technical capacity and capability to deliver excellent services to our customers

Currently, an update on progress on a 75-point Action Plan for 2021is being compiled which will outline progress across the full range of my Department’s responsibilities.

Some of the main policy achievements and initiatives undertaken by my Department in 2021 include the publication of the new Food Vision 2030Strategy; the establishment of an Interim Enforcement Authority under the Unfair Trading Practices Directive; the delivery of an effective response to the requirement for new import controls arising from Brexit; the establishment of a Seafood Sector Taskforceand the delivery of prompt actions based on recommendations contained in its interim report; as well as progress made on the implementation of Project Woodland.

My Department has supported the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the development of the Climate Action Plan 2021. In addition, following an extensive consultation with farmers and their representatives at marts throughout the country, as well as through bilateral engagements, a new CAP Strategic Plan will be submitted to the European Commission by year-end, taking account of the feedback from the sector and the objectives of the EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies through increased Pillar II payments.

The Department has also progressed a busy programme of priority legislation. All of this is all in addition to the usual schemes and services that my Department delivers on an annual basis.

The priorities for my Department in 2022 include the actions to be progressed under Food Vision 2030and the Climate Action Plan 2021 as well asthe development of systems to deliver new schemes under the new CAP Strategic Plan.

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, I will drive the further implementation of the recommendations of the McKinnon Reportthrough Project Woodlandto address challenges in the Forestry sector; and to effectively respond to export certification requirements arising from Brexit that may be introduced during the year.

I am progressing legislation around the establishment of National Food Ombudsman/Regulator which will bring much-needed transparency to the supply chain. I will also finalise legislation to prohibit fur farming in Ireland.

Along with my Department colleague, Minister of State Martin Heydon, I will lead a number of trade missions to ensure that global customers are aware of the top-class food our farmers and processors produce.

Work is also ongoing on further recommendations of the Seafood Sector Taskforceand this will continue in 2022.

My priorities for 2022 remain protecting farmers' and fishers' incomes while ensuring that agriculture continues to play its part in tackling climate change whilst making sure that farmers are being recognised for the huge efforts they are already making in this space.