349. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department considered recognising the 2023/2024 potato crop losses as a force majeure event for the purposes of CAP administration; the criteria considered in arriving at the decision taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52415/26]

The concept of force majeure allows farmers who have been unable to fulfil all their Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) requirements due to exceptional and unforeseeable events outside their control (such as extreme weather events) not to lose CAP support.

As force majeure is not intended to cover compensation for crop losses, it does not apply in this instance.