The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food will this week continue discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027.

The committee meets tomorrow (Wednesday, November 26) at 3:30pm in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House. 

Representatives from Macra, Clare Local Development Company, FORUM Connemara, North, East and West Kerry Development, and the Local Development Companies Network are due to meet the committee.

CAP concerns

Speaking ahead of the meeting, chairperson of the Oireachtas committee and Cork North-West TD, Aindrias Moynihan said: “At Wednesday’s meeting the committee returns to engage with stakeholders on the proposed CAP post-2027, and its implications for the agriculture sector and rural communities.

"We reiterate our concerns at the proposed EU’s plan to restructure the current two pillar CAP funding approach into a single national and regional partnerships fund from the commencement of the next EU budgetary cycle in 2028.

“We will take the opportunity in the meeting to get an understanding of the stakeholder’s priorities and their concerns for the proposed CAP post-2027."

The deputy added that the committee believes that Ireland can play a "key role" in shaping CAP's future direction within the EU Commission.

"With Ireland hosting the presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026, there is a strong opportunity to play a crucial part in progressing the legislative framework for the next CAP and ensuring that it supports the Irish agriculture sector and rural communities," he added.

A meeting of the committee earlier this month on the proposed CAP heard that a 20% cut to funding is "not a done deal" with possibilities for member states to secure additional funding.

Paul Savage, assistant secretary general at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said that at this stage, funding announced for CAP is "a proposal, it's the start of a long process".