Brendan Smith Urges Robust CAP Funding to Protect Food Security
Brendan Smith spoke on the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU multi-annual financial framework, urging a robust, ring-fenced CAP to protect farm incomes and food security. He warned that the current ring-fenced amount — 80% of present funding — is insufficient and called for sustained negotiations to secure more CAP resources.
He said a properly funded Common Agricultural Policy is essential for farm incomes, investment in rural Ireland and for food security in Western Europe. He reminded colleagues that the CAP was devised to ensure citizens a secure supply of safe food and warned against losing sight of that objective.
He highlighted that what has been ring-fenced so far is 80% of current funding and described that level as not enough. He argued for a cap that is properly funded to provide certainty for all farms and for generational renewal.
He urged that CAP capital negotiations proceed in tandem with the EU multi-annual financial framework talks and called on government leadership, including the Taoiseach and the minister for finance, to work across departments to secure the maximum possible CAP resources for Ireland.
He warned that reductions in CAP funding would harm the overall economy, affecting both rural and urban dwellers, and noted the importance of national and regional planning discussions to follow once EU-level funding is secured.
Main points
He said a properly funded Common Agricultural Policy is essential for farm incomes, investment in rural Ireland and for food security in Western Europe. He reminded colleagues that the CAP was devised to ensure citizens a secure supply of safe food and warned against losing sight of that objective.
Funding concerns
He highlighted that what has been ring-fenced so far is 80% of current funding and described that level as not enough. He argued for a cap that is properly funded to provide certainty for all farms and for generational renewal.
Negotiation strategy
He urged that CAP capital negotiations proceed in tandem with the EU multi-annual financial framework talks and called on government leadership, including the Taoiseach and the minister for finance, to work across departments to secure the maximum possible CAP resources for Ireland.
Wider economic impact
He warned that reductions in CAP funding would harm the overall economy, affecting both rural and urban dwellers, and noted the importance of national and regional planning discussions to follow once EU-level funding is secured.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Eoghan Kelly
Eoghan Kelly warns of possible strikes over school staff pensions
Sharon Keogan
Sharon Keogan questions fate of Ukrainian minors after they aged out
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy: Demands Sanctions on Israel over Ireland's Complicity
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett: Calls for Public Ownership of Zoned Land
Victor Boyhan
Victor Boyhan – Order of Business (27.11.25)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Michael Fitzmaurice: Warns Wind Turbines Are Splitting Rural Communities
Transcript
Thank you, Madam Minister. Thank you. The Prime Minister goes without saying that in the 40 Annual Financial Framework in those negotiations, we must ensure that there is a robust and ring-fenced cap funding. As we all know, this is essential for farm incomes, it is essential for investment in rural Ireland and it is also essential for food security. Far too often we do not talk about protecting food production in Western Europe, and as you referenced earlier, Minister, the Common Agricultural Policy was devised to ensure that the citizens of Europe had a secure supply of safe food. We should never lose sight of that aim and that strategy. That's why we need a cap that is properly funded. Thank you, Adaskan Córlec. I thank Deputy Smith for raising what gets to the heart of the cap, having enough money in it. What has been ring-fenced is 80% of the present. It's not enough. In direct answer to your question, and I agree with Deputy Smith and Deputy Moynihan in terms of the importance, whether it's generational new, the next generation, and for all farms for certainty, but your very point around the NRPP and the national and regional plan, that's what Europe is saying. They're saying, we've less money than we had the last time. Go back to your country and fight it out over there. And we're all saying, there's not enough from Europe. So I have sharp elbows, and I can assure everyone in the House when the time comes to fight the corner of agriculture at the cabinet table, I'll do that. But if I do that now, Europe will say, yeah, you're granted you, you got the money locally. We get as much out of the pot in Europe as we can for our farmers because as a net contributor to the overall multi-annual financial framework, we are a net contributor as Ireland. 75% of our receipts for the entire exchequer comes back through the Common Agricultural Policy. So if we allow that to be reduced, the overall economy, urban dwellers as well as rural dwellers across Ireland suffer. So I am continuing to fight. And it is really important that the capital negotiations continue in line, in tandem with the multi-annual financial framework negotiations as well. And we continue across government. Tán Ixteus, Minister for Finance, Taoiseach and everybody, we will work to get the most amount into the Common Agricultural Policy as we can, because that matters to Ireland overall. And then discussions at a national regional level will be down the line. I'll do everything in that regard at that point. But right now it's about getting Europe to recognise the importance of food security, as Deputy Smit has said. It's an integral part of everything we do. The EU was a peace project, at its heart was food security. Common Agricultural Policy has been really, really successful. We can't lose sight of that.