Watch: 'We'll be looking to get the allocation to CAP up' - Heydon
"Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" when it comes to the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
At least that is the approach the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is taking when it comes to discussions on the future of CAP post-2027.
Minister Heydon told Agriland that Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began this week, represents a "huge opportunity" for Ireland to be an "honest broker" among all of the 27 member states.
But he admits that it is also not going to be without its challenges - particularly when it comes to the EU budget, or as it is also known the Multiannual Financial Framework’ (MFF) for the period 2028-2034.
One of the chief concerns for Ireland is the prospect that CAP funding could be cut for Irish farmers by as much as 24%.
The prospective indicative CAP allocation for Ireland of €8.16 billion for 2028-2034 compares to a current €10.7 billion allocation.
Minister Heydon is adamant that "we have to increase the funding for CAP".
"Working with the Taoiseach and the Taoiseach and beyond on the MFF, we'll be looking to get the allocation for CAP up.
"And not just the allocation, but our ability to access it and the conditionality that comes with it.
"There's a lot of technical detail there around flexibilities and how we can access that money so that we can give it as direct payments to farmers," Minister Heydon added.
CAP
He said Ireland has "huge ambition" around generational renewal.
"When we talk about profitability and making sure our farms are profitable, that's the key driver of succession and generation renewal.
"And generation renewal will be central to everything we're doing in designing the new CAP," Minister Heydon added.
EU Presidency
The European Commission's College of Commissioners is meeting with members of the Irish Government, including the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for discussions on a range of EU policy matters in Cork today (Friday, July 3).
Additional reporting by Breifne O’Brien
