Agriculture Committee to receive update from Department

5th December 2016

The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, 6th December 2016 at 4pm in Committee Room 1, Leinster House.

The schedule for the meeting is as follows:

(i) Motion re: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016 [Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine]

(ii) Pre Council meeting and Sea Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment  Report [Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine]

(iii) The effect of bad weather on the grain harvest [Representatives from the Irish Farmers Association]

Committee Chair, Pat Deering TD, said: “The Exchequer funding provided from the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund is vital to the survival and continued development of both racing industries. In order to give effect to the provisions of the budget, the cumulative upper limit must be increased by regulation. This is a motion that comes before the committee every year and one that we look forward to discussing.”

“Following this, the department will provide us with an important policy update on how EU agriculture and fisheries issues are progressing at European level. We will then meet with the IFA to discuss the effect of bad weather on the grain harvest. Just a handful of days of bad weather can have a hugely detrimental impact on harvests. As well as limiting crop yields, bad weather can damage large and expensive farm machinery. It can also increase food prices, sending the cost of grains soaring.”
Prior to this, at 3pm, the Select Committee will meet with the Minister to consider the 2016 Supplementary Estimates for Public Services - Vote 30.

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

ENDS