Agriculture Committee to discuss CAP funding and Brexit with Department Officials

Officials from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will appear before the Committee to discuss the negotiations.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Chair, Pat Deering TD, said today, “The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a cornerstone of the EU and debating its future is vital if we are to ensure the best deal for Irish agriculture. We must also work hard to reduce emissions and gain efficiencies wherever possible. Brexit continues to bring a complex set of challenges to the negotiating table and Committee members will want to discuss issues around farm subsidies and other payments, as any cuts to the CAP could have a hugely detrimental impact on Irish farmers. UK farmers’ relationship with the EU will inevitably change once they depart the Union and that could have knock-on effects for Irish agriculture. The Committee does not want to see sweeping cuts to the CAP budget in order to mitigate the financial impact of Brexit on the EU and this is something we are keen to discuss with the Department tomorrow.”

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.