18. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to safeguard the former Pillar II funding schemes in CAP post- 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51673/26]

The Commission’s proposals for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy introduce a new delivery model under which the current Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 structure would no longer apply. Instead, CAP interventions would operate within a proposed new National and Regional Partnership Plan framework.

However, while the structure of the policy is changing, the proposals continue to provide for a broad range of interventions supporting environmental sustainability, rural development, investment, knowledge transfer and innovation. In that regard, the types of measures currently associated with Pillar 2 continue to be provided for under the proposed legislative framework.

Negotiations on these proposals remain ongoing. As Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ireland is facilitating discussions among Member States and acting as an honest broker in progressing negotiations on the remaining political and technical issues. Our objective is to build consensus on a future CAP that is practical, flexible and capable of supporting farmers across the European Union.

Once the legislative framework has been agreed at EU level, Member States will prepare their National and Regional Partnership Plans, including the CAP chapter. Ireland’s priority will be to develop a CAP framework that continues to support farm viability, while delivering effective environmental and climate measures, promoting innovation and knowledge transfer, strengthening rural communities and supporting the long-term sustainability and resilience of Irish agriculture.