EU Affairs Committee engage in detailed discussion on budgetary negotiations

Talks on the MFF, which will shape the EU’s budget between 2014 and 2020, have been advanced in recent months under the Danish Presidency. Minster Creighton said that the MFF is of real importance to the European Union’s medium term future and that ‘we must not let the current economic crisis blind us to this’.

Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “The Committee thanks Minister Creighton and her officials for a detailed and candid exchange on the current state of play on what are critical negotiations for Ireland and the wider Union.

“Minister Creighton advised the Committee of Ireland’s commitment to safeguarding CAP funding in the EU budgets in the coming years, to ensure our €24 billion agri-food industry remains a driver of economic recovery. It was pointed out by a number of voices that the CAP was vital, not just as a support to farming and rural communities across Europe, but for underpinning food security and safety for the European consumer.

“The Committee also heard of efforts to change the reference years for Cohesion funding to reflect the recent downturn, and thus maximise funding for Ireland. As Eastern Member States remain considerably poorer than Ireland, we understand that Ireland will have to endure a decline in cohesion transfers but are encouraged by Irish efforts to channel the funding towards tackling unemployment, and particularly youth unemployment, Union-wide.”

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Committee Membership
Deputies
Dominic Hannigan, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
John Halligan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD

Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly