Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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805. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of foresight or future planning that operates within his Department; who is responsible for long-term planning; the input these individuals or teams have into Departmental policy and practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61654/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department places a strong emphasis on foresight, long-term planning, and evidence-based policymaking. This approach is clearly demonstrated through Food Vision 2030, Ireland’s ten-year, stakeholder-led strategy for the agri-food, forestry, and marine sectors. Food Vision 2030 builds on a long-standing tradition of participative policymaking through stakeholder-led strategies for the agri-food sector.

Food Vision 2030 sets out a clear roadmap for the sustainable development of the sector, with environmental, economic, and social sustainability at its core. Its ambition is for Ireland to continue to be a world leader in sustainable food systems. It was developed through an inclusive, evidence-based process, ensuring that the sector has a coherent, stakeholder-led vision and long-term plan to underpin the sector's continued development.

A 32-member Stakeholder Committee, representing the full breadth of the sector, including farmers, fishers, processors, agri-food businesses, environmental and consumer organisations, researchers, and State agencies, met 13 times and was supported by a Secretariat from my Department. The Committee applied a food systems approach, identifying key challenges and opportunities and setting out the vision, missions, and actions required for the decade ahead.

A comprehensive public consultation was also undertaken, including a national Open Policy Debate attended by over 400 participants, written submissions, and stakeholder workshops. This input directly informed the strategy’s recommendations and ensured that it reflected a wide range of perspectives.

Food Vision 2030 is underpinned by a Monitoring and Implementation Framework that identifies 218 actions under 22 goals, grouped around four missions. Stakeholder collaboration remains central to implementation through the formation of several formal sectoral groups.

Oversight is provided through a High-Level Implementation Committee (HLIC), which I chair, to monitor the delivery of the four Missions. The third Annual Food Vision Report, published in September 2025, shows that 79% of actions have been completed or are well advanced. In addition, a Food Vision Dashboard, available on my Department’s website, tracks key sustainability indicators, enhancing transparency and accountability.

In September, I announced a mid-term review of Food Vision, which will ensure that we remain ambitious and responsive to future challenges. The involvement of stakeholders in the review will be crucial.