Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017
519. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of meetings of the Brexit consultative committee convened by him since the UK referendum to leave the EU; the dates of all such meetings to date; the number of meetings planned in 2017; and when the next meeting will take place. [5519/17]
View answerAs one of a number of steps taken in the immediate aftermath of the UK's decision to leave the EU, I established a Consultative Committee of Stakeholders in order to ensure a full exchange of information on the potential implications for the agri-food sector and on the most effective responses as developments unfold.
Building on more informal consultation arrangements that had been in place in the months leading up to the referendum, I convened the first formal meeting of the Brexit Consultative Committee of Stakeholders on 7 July 2016. A comprehensive and very useful discussion on the sectoral impacts took place, and this was followed by a further very constructive and informative meeting of the Committee on 20 October 2016. In keeping with the working arrangements of the Committee - which are to meet as required rather than according to a pre-determined schedule - I will be arranging a further meeting in the coming weeks in order to assess the latest developments.
I should make it clear, however, that my officials and I engage on both a formal and informal basis with stakeholders, with EU Commission officials and Member State counterparts on a regular basis on Brexit related issues. Consultation with stakeholders has continued in the context of the All-Island Civic Dialogue, in respect of which an opening plenary took place in early November 2016 in Dublin and a further plenary is due to take place on 17 February. As part of this process, sectoral dialogues to further examine the issues in the agri-food and fisheries sectors have taken place. The first, which took place on 15 December 2016, focused on the cattle and sheep, pigs and poultry and dairy sectors. A second dialogue, focusing on fisheries issues, took place on 1 February, and a third, which will concentrate on issues relevant to the forestry, horticulture, prepared consumer foods and cereals/animal feed sectors, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday 8 February.
All of these consultations are helping to further inform my approach and that of my Department to the challenges presented by Brexit for the agri-food and fisheries sectors, and the Brexit Consultative Committee of Stakeholders will continue to play a vital role in this regard.
