Minister Heydon launches Ireland’s CAP Consultative Committee for CAP post-2027 tomorrow

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, TD, will open the first meeting of the CAP Consultation Committee tomorrow morning following the announcement today by the European Commission of its proposals for the next EU Budget (MFF) post-2027 and the next Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

Minister Heydon said “The Commission launched its proposals today, and the detailed legislative proposals are expected to be published tomorrow. These are very significant proposals, and we have been through considerable reforms before and we’ve managed to negotiate through them in the past and we’ll do the same again. What always remains as a constant is the importance of the work of our farm families and our agrifood businesses to our rural economy. Today is the starting point and we’ll negotiate through this proposal line by line, and we’ll have a very significant role to play during our EU Presidency in the second half of next year.

“Tomorrow morning, I will begin the engagement with key stakeholders at the first meeting of Ireland’s CAP Consultative Committee. The Committee will play a crucial role in ensuring that the CAP reform process is transparent, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of various stakeholders within the agricultural and rural community.”

Minister Heydon concluded “The Commission proposals for new CAP structures in a new MFF architecture will require careful analysis. This seems like a very big change, but in fact this announcement marks the starting point in a long negotiating process. I will continue to work very closely with Commissioner Hansen, the European Parliament and my EU counterparts to ensure that the end result delivers the best possible outcome for Irish farmers and the rural communities in which they live.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Committee Membership - Organisations

• Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine
• (Sinéad McPhillips, Assistant Secretary General, Chair)
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (including NPWS)
• Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
• Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
• Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
• Agricultural Consultants Association
• An Taisce
• Bord Bia
• County and City Management Association (CCMA)
• Environmental Pillar
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC)
• Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA)
• Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)
• Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA)
• Irish Farmers Association (IFA)
• Irish Grain Growers Association (IGGA)
• Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA)
• Irish Organic Association
• Irish Rural Link (also representing National Rural Network)
• Local Development Company Network
• Macra na Feirme
• National Bio-diversity Data Centre
• National CAP Network
• Academic members (UCD and UCC)
• Teagasc
• Women in Agriculture Stakeholder Group