Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
53. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to include farm safety in the CAP negotiation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33554/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the October Agri-fish Council reached an agreed general approach after two days of negotiations on the CAP Reform Package. The Council now has a political mandate to begin trilogue negotiations. These trilogue negotiations, which are the final stage in the process, are expected to start shortly, and I look forward to working closely with my EU counterparts, the Commission and the European Parliament with a view to achieving an overall agreement.
I am also hopeful that final agreement will shortly be reached on the European Multiannual Financial Framework in order to give farmers and Member States alike the budgetary certainty we need to finalise our plans and begin to implement the new CAP.
The legislative proposals for the new CAP provide greater subsidiarity for Member States to design interventions to meet their own particular needs. I wish to advise the House that the specific issue of farm safety is not an issue for the CAP negotiation process but rather an issue for consideration in preparing Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, which will have to include all interventions proposed as part of the next CAP programme.
Agriculture accounts for 6% of the workforce but accounts for almost 50% of workplace related fatalities so there is a clear need to address the issue of farm safety.
The Programme for Government identified the need to “Invest in enhanced farm safety and wellbeing measures under the next CAP.” This issue is being actively considered in the context of preparation of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan.
