Unfortunately Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his Government appear content to allow farmers and the agricultural sector be collateral damage in their battle for survival.

There seems to be little recognition at any level within government as to the impact that Dara Calleary’s resignation as Minister for Agriculture will have on farmers and the wider sector, coming just 38 days after his appointment following the sacking of Barry Cowen from the position after just 17 days in the job.

In what has become a hallmark of the newly formed Government, communications have been abysmal and decisive leadership lacking. Surely a statement from the Taoiseach acknowledging the extent to which his Government has failed to deliver proper political representation for farmers and one outlining the priority need to appointment a new Minister was required following Calleary’s departure.

Delay

Instead the initial response was to delay any reappointment for three weeks until the Dáil returned in mid-September. This would have meant that agriculture would have be without effective strategic political leadership for almost all of 2020, given that since the election in February, Minister Creed was effectively fulfilling a caretaker role.

The Government has since bowed to political pressure and agreed to recall the Dáil next week. But the initial response shows a complete failure to recognise the immediate challenges facing the sector, most noticeably in the form of Brexit and CAP negotiations.

The departure of both Cowen and Calleary in the space of less than two months will have seriously weakened Ireland's hand in CAP negotiations. Influence in these negotiations is built around forming key strategic alliances with other EU agricultural ministers.

Since June, three different Ministers for Agriculture will have represented the interests of Irish farmers at EU Agricultural Council meetings.

CAP

The merry-go-round of Irish agriculture ministers comes just days ahead of a crucial gathering of EU agriculture ministers under the German presidency next week. With the aim of reaching a critical CAP deal by October, German Minister for Agriculture Julia Klöckner has tabled discussions on CAP and Farm-to-Fork frameworks that will begin to shape EU and Irish agriculture for the next decade.

At this late stage it is even unclear who will represent Irish farmers at this meeting. While the official appointment of a new minister will need to wait until the Dáil sits next Wednesday, the Taoiseach should announce his nomination immediately and allow them attend the informal council meeting in an “acting” capacity.

The move would allow them to start the process of re-building key strategic alliances and give an increased opportunity to read into their brief.

Unfortunately rather than recognising the need to move decisively on this issue, both the Taoiseach and his coalition partners have prioritised their efforts at diverting attention from a golfing event in Galway away from the Government towards others in attendance.

Hogan

Again we see little regard for the interest of farmers with both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste taking aim at European Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan. Both ICMSA and ICSA, along with former Taoiseach John Bruton, have highlighted the potential impact of Ireland losing the influence of Hogan within the College of Commissioners at such a critical point in Brexit negotiations.

This isn’t any defence of the Commissioner's failure to observe the COVID-19 restrictions but merely the realpolitik of keeping the trade portfolio of the European Commission in Irish hands at the most critical time for trade in our lifetime.

By effectively removing the Irish influence within the College of Commissioners, in the midst of Brexit, the Government appears willing to allow farmers be punished for Hogan's mistake, simply in a bid for them to try and regain some resemblance of control.

Credibility

With the Government’s credibility in the farming community hanging by a thread, decisive action is needed. The Taoiseach needs to move quickly and nominate someone to the role of Minister for Agriculture that has demonstrated a deep knowledge of policy and the issues facing the sector.

The EU Trade Commissioner's fate is a matter for the Commission President who is his line manager and beyond the remit of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste or the Irish Government.

They can, however, get on with the appointment of an agriculture minister, which is within their brief. Delivering farmers proper and effective political representation in the midst of a Brexit and CAP battle has to be their top priority.

Read more

ICMSA and ICSA say Ireland must keep EU trade portfolio

Phil Hogan vital to Brexit endgame - Bruton