30 Apr 2012, 18:03
The Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture will meet with the Department Officials and Irish MEPs on the Common Agricultural Policy tomorrow 1 May at 2pm.
CAP reform is a key priority for the Committee, which intends to discuss on the subject in detail in the coming month. Later in the week, on Thursday, the Committee will meet with representatives from the Irish Farmers Association on the matter.
Beginning the session, Department of Agriculture Officials will outline the Irish Government position on the negotiations. This discussion will be followed by debate with MEPs Marian Harkin (Independent) Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael) and Phil Prendergast (Labour).
Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Andrew Doyle TD said: “Tomorrow’s meeting allows the Committee debate with the Department Officials and MEPs on how to best protect the interests of Irish farming and ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture across Europe Importantly, MEPs Harkin, McGuinness and Prendergast represent a cross section of political opinion from a wide geographic spread.
“CAP reform negotiations have entered a crucial period, with the Committee’s work at an advanced stage. Committee Members engaged constructively and candidly with EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos, who briefed the Committee during his high profile visit to Ireland in January.
“Continuing our debates on the CAP, representatives from the Irish Farmers Association will brief the Committee on Thursday, followed by other major farming organisations in the coming weeks. The Committee will issue a report and recommendations, distilling the views on CAP from a diverse range of stakeholders, to be forwarded to the EU Institutions later in the year, providing an authoritative and comprehensive statement of Irish views on the matter.
“With negotiations likely to be finalised during the Irish Presidency in the first half of next year, our Committee is laying the groundwork to ensure the interests of Irish farming are forcefully presented as the negotiations intensify.”
This meeting takes place on tomorrow Tuesday 1 May in Committee Room 3, LH 2000, at 2 pm. Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
Ends
For further information and to arrange accreditation please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie