Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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125. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on negotiations regarding the Common Agricultural Policy post 2027; if he has had discussions on the same with his ministerial counterparts and the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13807/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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It is a key responsibility of Government to raise Ireland's concerns with our EU partners and to influence EU policy. For my part as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I meet with my counterparts in the Council of the European Union every month to discuss and shape agriculture and food policy in the EU.

I have and will continue to engage with Christophe Hansen, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, and my fellow EU Ministers on the issues affecting the agri-food sector, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027, at these Council meetings as well as in bilateral discussions. I assure the Deputy that I will prioritise these engagements at European level, particularly in preparation for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026.

As set out in the Programme for Government, the Government will continue to work with EU institutions and Member States to ensure robust funding for the CAP so that it meets both new challenges and opportunities. In anticipation of the CAP post 2027 proposals, my Department has commenced a range of preparatory work to ensure Ireland is well positioned to engage effectively in upcoming negotiations, including engaging with the Commissioner on the ‘Vision for Agriculture and Food’ published in February. This Vision report is one of a number of important inputs to the process of developing the next CAP.

I should note that the funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) forms part of the broader EU budget which is ultimately agreed by Heads of State and Government at the European Council.

The European Commission is due to set out proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in mid-2025. Negotiations on the MFF proposals will subsequently commence and will likely run in parallel to the CAP post-2027 negotiations. The exact timing of the Commission's proposals for post-2027 CAP remains to be confirmed.

The CAP has supported Irish farmers and rural development over many decades. A well-funded CAP is essential to supporting farm incomes and food security, while contributing meaningfully to wider EU objectives, including on climate, biodiversity and innovation. Currently, the CAP is being delivered in Ireland through the CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027 with a budget of €9.8 billion over those five years.

I am determined that CAP will continue to play a positive role in supporting Irish farmers, the food industry and rural communities and the wider economy into the future.