Challenges faced by Kilkenny farmers relayed to EU Commissioner by local TD

Carlow Kilkenny TD Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, writes about his recent visit to Brussels to talk family farms and CAP with EU Commissioner Christophe Hansen.

As Agriculture Spokesperson for Fianna Fáil, he was keen to stress to the Commissioner what he is hearing on the ground about challenges farmers face .

The agri-food sector is Ireland’s most important indigenous industry, providing 173,000 jobs and accounting for 10% of our exports.

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It is held up globally as an example of best practice and quality, bringing us not just economic advantages, but also international prestige; there isn’t a top-class restaurant in Paris, New York or Seoul that does not serve Irish produce!

At the heart of the Irish agri-food sector’s success is the family farm.
Family farms account for 96% of the 135,000 agricultural holdings across the country. These, mostly small and medium enterprises are the life blood of rural communities.

The spin-off employment they create is unquantifiable; processors, cafés, shops and numerous other businesses rely on them.

Yet the family farm faces a fight for survival. The number of farms in Ireland has fallen by nearly 5,000 in 15 years. We cannot risk further decline. That is why protecting the family farm must be an absolute priority in the next Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

In September, a Fianna Fáil agri-food delegation travelled to Brussels to drive this message home to European decision makers. We had a productive meeting with Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.

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In the meeting, the delegation stressed the economic and social importance of CAP and relayed Irish concerns at the current Commission proposal to allocate €300 billion to CAP post 2027, equivalent to a 20% cut in the current CAP fund.

We also discussed the importance of securing new funding streams, separate to CAP, to support farm families and rural communities in Ireland.

Commissioner Hansen, who himself grew up on a family farm in Luxembourg, displayed a clear understanding of the issues impacting Irish farms and a willingness to deliver a CAP that supports the sector.

In the European Parliament, we received an update from the four Fianna Fáil MEPs; Billy Kelleher, Barry Andrews, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.

We heard that the number of EU farms decreased by 37% from 2005 to 2020. The dairy herd across Western Europe has shrunk 1.4% year-on-year since 2014, and it is feared that EU milk supply could decrease by up to 7% over the next decade.

This is deeply concerning when we consider that the vast majority of the EU’s 3 million farms are family farms. Their loss would threaten the economic and social viability of rural communities across the entire Union, from Cyprus in the East to Portugal’s Azores islands in the West, and everywhere in between.

The Irish concerns are shared by other Member States.
President of Renew Europe (Fianna Fáil’s Group in the European Parliament) Valérie Hayer of France and Finnish MEP Elsi Katainen gave us the perspective from their Member States and outlined a common objective – a CAP that secures safe, sustainable and high-quality food and stability in farming.

From the discussions, we are confident that Ireland will be backed by strong allies in the CAP negotiations.
I am mindful that Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the latter half of 2026. This will be a pivotal period in the CAP negotiations.

In this regard, I was pleased to meet with Damien Flynn, head of agriculture at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU. Mr Flynn updated us on the work of Irish diplomats in securing a strong CAP.

From 2020 – 2024, Fianna Fáil worked hard to deliver on the farm investment and tangible financial supports for farmers. This included the €1.5 billion agri-environmental scheme (ACRES), supports of €225 per suckler cow and €25 per ewe and a Protein Aid Scheme, worth €10 million in 2024.

All of these schemes were financed by CAP funds. As was the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers and the targeted supports for Women Farmers, including the 60% rate under TAMS 3.

Without a strong CAP, we simply cannot keep these vital supports going.

The chaos in the UK lays bare the societal threats caused by the loss of CAP funding. Britain cannot feed itself. The country is heavily reliant on imports during an increasingly turbulent time in global trade. Prices have skyrocketed, leaving everyday day food stuff out of reach for many British consumers.

The EU should learn its lesson and not repeat the mistakes of its former member by cutting the main support to its farm families.

The family farm is one of Ireland’s greatest strengths. But in order to thrive, it needs a robust CAP, which strong financial backing. Fianna Fáil will remain in close contact with all parties involved in the CAP negotiations. We will use every policy lever available to deliver a CAP that supports the family farm for generations to come.