Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2015
121. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take in conjunction with his European Union colleagues to protect the concept of the viability of the family farm enterprise throughout the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41992/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2013 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy was a useful and progressive reform making the CAP fit for purpose to 2020. It provided Irish farmers and the agri-food sector with policy certainty for the years to come and with strategic financial support to increase sustainability and enhance competitiveness. I will continue to work with my EU colleagues to ensure that we engage in policies that promote the interests of the EU agricultural sector. It is clear that there remain profitability issues at farm level that need to be addressed. Food Wise 2025, the new ten year strategy for the agri-food sector published in July this year, builds on the successful vision of Food Harvest 2020. It identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 380 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness; as well as specific sectoral recommendations.
