Latest news with #GoodAgriculturalandEnvironmentalCondition
Agriland
3 days ago
- Politics
- Agriland
Heydon to meet joint agri committee for first time as DAFM minister
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon will appear in a public meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine today (Wednesday, May 28). This will be the first session of the committee that the minister will appear at in his role as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Minister Heydon's previous appearances at the committee, in its previous iteration before the general election last year, were in his then role as minister for state with responsibility for new market development, farm safety, and research and development. This will be the first meeting of the current committee, post-general election, where it will carry out its role of scrutinising the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the ministers responsible for it. Previous meetings of the current committee dealt with its internal business, such as choosing a chairperson. A range of topics are set to come up at this evening's meeting, including the eradication of TB; the controversial GAEC (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition) 2; broader issues on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); and the nitrates derogation. The meeting will take place in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House, and is scheduled to begin at 4:00p.m. The meeting can be viewed on the Oireachtas TV website. Speaking ahead of committee meeting, its chairperson, Fianna Fáil Cork North-West TD Aindrias Moynihan, said: 'Our committee looks forward to our first meeting tomorrow and very much welcomes this early opportunity to engage with Minister Heydon. 'We hope it will be the first in a series of meetings with the minister and we thank him for making time in his schedule to attend,' Moynihan added. The details of the membership of the committee were confirmed earlier this month. The committee has 14 members – nine TDs and five senators. The membership of each committee usually reflects the proportion of the seats held by each of the political parties in the houses of the Oireachtas. Oireachtas committees have the power to invite submissions; hold hearings with stakeholders and ministers; and draft and publish reports. The membership of the committee is as follows: TDs: Aindrias Moynihan (chairperson) – Cork North-West, Fianna Fáil; William Aird (deputy chairperson) – Laois, Fine Gael; Peter 'Chap' Cleere – Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fáil; Joe Cooney – Clare, Fine Gael; Michael Fitzmaurice – Roscommon-Galway, Independent Ireland; Danny Healy-Rae – Kerry, independent; Martin Kenny – Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Féin; Paul Lawless – Mayo, Aontú; Natasha Newsome Drennan – Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Féin. Senators (all elected from Agricultural Panel): Victor Boyhan – independent; Paraic Brady – Fine Gael; Joanne Collins – Sinn Féin; Paul Daly – Fianna Fáil; Eileen Lynch – Fine Gael.
Agriland
19-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Kelly: Package ‘puts trust back in the hands of farmers'
Fine Gael MEP, Sean Kelly has welcomed the European Commission's proposals to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Ireland South MEP said the proposal is a positive development, and a direct response to the growing frustration among farmers who have 'long struggled with red tape and overly frigid rules'. MEP Kelly also described the announcement as a 'good day for Irish agriculture' and highlighted several key elements in the package. He said: 'Simplification, flexibility, less bureaucracy, these are exactly the changes our farmers have been calling for. 'This is not just a minor adjustment, it's a shift in tone that puts trust back in the hands of farmers,' he added. The MEP has welcomed the increased flat-rate payment for small farmers and greater discretion of member states. 'Raising the flat-rate payment limit to €2,500 is practical and fair. It will ease the burden on small family farms and save time and money. That's common sense policy,' Kelly explained. MEP Kelly Kelly was particularly encouraged by the approach taken on Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2, which addresses wetland and peatland management. He said: 'This was a major concern voiced by farmers I've met across Ireland in recent weeks. The flexibility to reward environmental stewardship rather than penalise it is a breakthrough. 'Farmers working on peatlands and wetlands will now be supported, not punished, for their efforts.' 'I believe this progress stems in no small part from the influence of the EPP Group in the parliament. With 188 members, we've ensured that the voice of farmers is heard clearly in Brussels,' he added. The MEP believes that the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, 'understands agriculture' and has shown he is willing to act. 'This package is the beginning of restoring agriculture to its rightful place at the top of the European agenda,' Kelly said. 'I sincerely hope all Irish MEPs will come together now to support these proposals as they move through parliament.' 'Agriculture is Ireland's primary industry – and it deserves a common effort to ensure farmers have the tools they need to thrive,' he added.
Agriland
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Agriland
‘GAEC 2 proposal fundamentally flawed and unfair'
Independent MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan has said a lack of clear information from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has allowed managing peat soils to become a 'divisive issue'. According to the MEP a new Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2 standard was introduced to encourage better management of soils in the last Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform. He claims that concerns were raised immediately in respect of the implementation of this, and it's potential to negatively affect the livelihoods of farmers. The MEP added: 'Taking on board these concerns and acting on behalf of farmers, I worked in the background with colleagues at EU level to ensure that a footnote was added to the final text of the regulation that allows for agricultural activity to be continued and maintained in these lands. 'In the implementation of this new standard, a two year derogation was granted to allow for the identification of organic soils, what measures would be put in place, and to allow for consultation with farmers who would be impacted. 'In the intervening period, little in the way of genuine consultation has taken place. While there have been stakeholder meetings, concerns raised by organisations representing farmers working these lands were effectively ignored.' Flanagan claims there has been no public dissemination of what the department was proposing, and that this allowed for 'misinformation to be spread'. MEP Flanagan also described DAFM's proposal as 'fundamentally unfair and flawed'. According to the MEP the department's current approach proposes that if the land parcel (LPIS parcel) contains 51% organic soil, then the entire land parcel will come under the GAEC 2 restriction. If 49% of the parcel contains organic soil then the parcel will not be considered to be in need of protection. 'This approach lacks fairness and balance, from both the perspective of the farmer and in achieving the objective of the standard,' the MEP said. 'For the farmers impacted it may have far reaching consequences. In many cases their entire farms, including the mineral soils on their holding, will now come under the restrictive measure to comply with the GAEC 2 standard,' he added. 'Farmers have demonstrated repeatedly over the years that they are willing to take on new challenges, but there must be equality in the implementation of measures. One group cannot be required to do all the heavy lifting while another group remains unaffected.' The MEP also highlighted that correctly managing organic soils is an issue that must be addressed. He said: 'Over the last few years farmers working organic soils have been unfairly targeted and the finger pointed at them as the main contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) from agriculture. 'It may suit an agenda in the short term to point the finger at organic soils but in the longer term, addressing pollution at source is the only way to reduce its impact,' he added.
