Written answer
Common Agricultural Policy
The Department consulted stakeholders on post-2027 CAP generational renewal measures, while Ireland promoted effective EU support for young farmers during negotiations.
301. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out in detail the engagement his Department has had with relevant stakeholders in relation to Generational Renewal policies, in particular regarding negotiations for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). [66131/26]
Comment on this
Generational renewal is fundamental for the long term sustainability of Irish and European agriculture. Supporting the next generation of farmers and addressing the barriers to entry and establishment are important to the long-term sustainability and resilience of the sector.
My Department has engaged extensively with relevant stakeholders on the generational renewal elements of the CAP post-2027. The CAP Consultative Committee (CCC), which brings together representatives of relevant agricultural and rural stakeholder organisations, meets regularly to discuss developments in the CAP. Generational renewal is discussed across the various strands of the CCC’s discussion and it was the central theme for one meeting, where stakeholders were provided with an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed generational renewal measures in the CAP post-2027 proposals.
In addition, my Department undertook a public consultation on the post-2027 CAP regulations, which included specific questions on generational renewal and sought the respondents' views on the measures that should be considered to facilitate generational renewal in the agriculture sector in Ireland.
Regarding the CAP post-2027 negotiations at EU level, Ireland has advocated for effective, appropriate generational renewal measures from the outset. Since Ireland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we have kept the focus on generational renewal in the negotiations by facilitating discussions between Member States on the subject. The Presidency has sought to build consensus on measures that can effectively support young farmers and address the barriers they face, while recognising the differing circumstances across Member States.
While the negotiations are not yet complete, I am confident that we can reach agreement on a framework that provides an effective package of measures to support generational renewal in the CAP post-2027.