Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 February 2021
332. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is in possession of any assessment on the impact that the EU farm-to-fork biodiversity strategies will have on production costs for farmers; the impact it will have on their output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7652/21]
View answerI fully recognise that the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy are very ambitious and challenging. They do, however, provide a very clear pathway for delivering on the ambitions within the EU Green Deal to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, and Ireland, just like all other Member States, will be required to contribute to achieving this vision.
I have consistently called for comprehensive impact assessments to be conducted in respect of all Farm to Fork proposals. At the Council of European Agriculture Ministers in December, I again requested that the Commission conduct thorough assessments that address all aspects of the Farm to Fork proposals.
The successful delivery of these strategies and the overall ambition of the Green Deal will require, among other things, a strong CAP. I have consistently pursued the need for an adequately funded CAP to support the primary producers to make this transition, to ensure that the risk and costs are not carried by the farmer.
