Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
31. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to assist family farms and to ensure their viability into the future; the new schemes that will be available for climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27004/21]
View answerOn 14th April, I published the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2024 alongside an Action Plan for 2021, which outlines 75 actions to further develop a sustainable, innovative and competitive agri-food, forestry and seafood sector. The Action Plan will build on significant work already underway by the Department, including:
1. Continuing to provide vital supports to the farmers, fishers and foresters which are the lifeblood of a balanced economy.
2. Finalising and publishing a new 10-year Strategy for the agri-food sector - delivering on a key commitment of the Programme for Government, which called for an ambitious blueprint for the sector for the years ahead.
3. Developing Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan.
4. Designing, developing and commencing new transitional schemes for 2021 including an Agri-Environment results-based Pilot Project which rewards farmers for committed environmental effort by linking payments to the quality of environmental outcomes delivered.
5. Implementing Ireland’s first over-arching Animal Welfare Strategy.
6. Working to develop initiatives and policies to underpin and support farm and fisher incomes.
The Department makes direct payments to Irish farmers of almost €1.9 billion annually, under CAP and national schemes. In addition, it funds research, advisory and training supports which directly benefit Irish farmers, and, along with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, co-funds a number of preferential loan schemes to the benefit of primary producers. Farmers also benefit significantly from a range of agri-taxation measures, which are particularly focused to support land mobility and generational renewal.
The next CAP has many goals to achieve. As has always been the case, it needs to support farm incomes. However, it must also ensure the schemes implemented under the new CAP strategic plan deliver significantly improved environmental outcomes. The European Commission’s proposals for the next CAP have been subject to ongoing debate in the European Council and European Parliament since their publication in June 2018. Both institutions agreed their respective positions on the proposals in October 2020. Trilogue discussions between them and the European Commission commenced in November 2020 and are still ongoing.
The new CAP has an increased environmental ambition. It must also help achieve the ambitious targets outlined in the European Green New Deal through, for example, the Farm to Fork and the Biodiversity strategies. I support this. Likewise, I support the protection of our farm incomes, which is also vitally important. This increased ambition was a key factor in reaching the final agreement on the CAP budget last year, when, in the face of planned significant cuts, the Government actually achieved an increase.
As a result, the way in which farmers receive support is changing, with the emphasis shifting much more definitively to a focus on better environmental outcomes, delivered through the green architecture. This green architecture combines greater environmental and climate ambition with Pillar 1 payments with further environmental achievement through Pillar 2 schemes.
