27 Jan 2016, 18:24
The Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine (CAFM) was established on 12 June 2012 and assumed the relevant responsibilities from the Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture (CCNRA). The CCNRA, meeting 49 times, completed important work during its lifetime including a comprehensive report on Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration.
27th January 2016
During what was a busy period, the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine embraced fully the portfolio under its remit and frequently met as both a Joint and Select Committee as well as a Select sub-Committee on Fisheries.
Committee Chairman, Andrew Doyle TD, said “Using a collaborative approach we have worked effectively as a Committee and achieved much over the past number of years. In total we have met 181 times in our various make-ups, which adds up to 334 hours of meetings. We have met with 517 witnesses and produced 33 reports, submissions and political contributions.”
“In drafting these 33 reports, we prioritised a number of policy areas to examine including inequity in the retail supply chain, the need to support coastal communities in rural Ireland, and how to mitigate climate change through effective land use. Having examined these three policy areas, we produced the following reports to address issues such as:
• Report on the Grocery Goods Sector: ‘Increasing equity and transparency in producer-processor-retailer relationships’
• Report on ‘Promoting Sustainable Rural Coastal and Island Communities’
• Report on ‘Land Use: maximising its potential’
• Welfare of Greyhounds Bill 2011
• Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2011\"
To see all of the Committee’s reports please see here.
“At a European level, we engaged with issues including CAP Simplification, Fishing Quotas, Seabass Conservation, GMOs, and TTIP negotiations. Under the Irish Presidency in 2013, we hosted a successful inter-parliamentary meeting with our counterparts from other EU Member States.”
“In our capacity as a Select Committee, we considered legislation such as the Animal and Welfare Bill, Forestry Bill and Horse Racing Bill and examined the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s budgetary allocation each year with the Minister.”
“As Chairman I would like to thank my colleagues on the Committee for their dedication and professionalism in their approach to our difficult task. I would also like to thank those that facilitated our work – the secretariat, those in the library & research service, the Parliamentary ushers, broadcasting, debates and communications staff.”
“I believe we have produced a body of work that will act as an important resource for those interested in Agriculture, Food and the Marine in what was a difficult economic time in our history. There is much work to be done for the Committee that takes forward this remit but I believe we have built a solid foundation from which to build.”
Ends