Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
330. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to ensure that the interests of Irish agriculture and the food industry in general do not become any more penalised in order to meet global emission reduction targets when compared with other European countries with a similar dependency on the food industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18880/23]
View answerFood Vision 2030, the overarching strategy for the future development of the Irish agrifood sector, envisages that Ireland will become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems during this decade. Achieving that ambition will enable the sector to derive future competitive advantage from meeting the highest standards of sustainability.
The role of my Department is to formulate and implement policies that will achieve a balance between the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability, while making an important contribution to Ireland achieving its climate and environmental targets.
With an indicative budget of €9.8 billion, the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023 to 2027 seeks to strike the balance between economic and environmental sustainability for the benefit of farmers and rural communities. The Government has invested significant national co-funding including carbon tax funding in the CSP, to support farmers in transitioning their systems to adjust to climate targets.
At an European level, I will continue to engage with Ministerial colleagues on the development of EU policies and strategies that affect the sector.
