Debate contribution: North/South Ministerial Council: Agriculture

Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on 11 June 2024.

MLA

Mr Andrew Muir

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

11 June 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Ministerial Statement

Heading

North/South Ministerial Council: Agriculture

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4495477

Read the official Assembly record

Text

With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding the twenty-eighth North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) agriculture meeting, which was held in the NSMC joint secretariat offices, Armagh, on Wednesday 29 May 2024. Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA, junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA and I represented the Northern Ireland Executive at the meeting. The Irish Government were represented by Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development. Minister McConalogue chaired the meeting. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Reilly and junior Minister Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us all. It was a positive meeting, and a lot of progress was made. I will take each paper in the order in which it was discussed. On the review of the work programme, the NSMC noted that officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) had concluded a review of the work programme for the NSMC agriculture sector and agreed a revised programme for the sector. On cooperation on animal health, the Council noted the continuing work and progress achieved on the delivery of the ‘All-Island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Action Plan’ since the last NSMC agriculture meeting in November 2020. Ministers welcomed the establishment in 2023 of the all-island surveillance forum. The NSMC acknowledged the ongoing efforts by officials from both jurisdictions to seek ways to maximise existing cooperation on animal health and welfare, including the joint DAERA/DAFM exercise on contingency planning for swine fever, which was planned for June 2024. Ministers looked forward to the continuation of practical and effective cooperation on animal health and welfare and disease control in both jurisdictions in order that the health and welfare of livestock is maintained at the highest level. On cooperation on plant health and pesticides, Ministers welcomed the ongoing commitment of DAFM and DAERA to the shared objective of achieving and maintaining good plant health status on the island.

The Council noted the ongoing collaboration and sharing of expertise in training; scientific research; diagnostic capability; risk anticipation; risk management, including contingency planning; and risk communication in plant health. The Council welcomed the intention to conduct a joint DAFM/DAERA simulation exercise in 2024 to test plant health contingency plans. Ministers welcomed the continued sharing of expertise and training between DAFM and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) — there are lots of acronyms in the statement — as the result of DAFM's acting as a national reference laboratory for DAERA and AFBI. Ministers noted the continuing cooperation in the regulation of placing on the market and using pesticides. The NSMC welcomed the continuing cooperation between both Administrations on farm safety and the ongoing work to improve it. The Council also welcomed the first joint meeting of the farm safety partnerships from both jurisdictions, which took place in February this year. With regard to cooperation on rural development, the Council welcomed the establishment of the North/South rural policy forum, which provides a mechanism to share information and best practice and to identify opportunities for joint working on issues that impact on rural areas and rural communities. Ministers noted the cooperation between the two jurisdictions on rural development, as well as the strong commitment of both Administrations to share information and best practice on rural development and to enhance cooperation on it. Ministers acknowledged the good collaboration between DAERA and DAFM in maximising the drawdown of EU funding under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. The Council welcomed the €106·6 million in funding secured by successful applications from both Administrations for projects in the agriculture, forestry, food, marine and bioeconomy sectors under Horizon 2020, as well as the €4·5 million secured to date under Horizon Europe. Ministers noted the progress made in joint funding bids from both jurisdictions under the DAFM national competitive calls, including €10·8 million by DAFM and £3·8 million by DAERA for 12 projects since 2021. The Council noted that seven projects involving total funding of €7·6 million have been funded over the eight years of the US-Ireland R&D Partnership in agriculture. Ministers welcomed the announcement of a €9 million funding initiative to support the development of the all-island bioeconomy in the agriculture and marine sectors, with co-funding from the Government of Ireland's Shared Island initiative, DAFM and DAERA. The NSMC welcomed the ongoing consideration by DAFM and DAERA of further possibilities for research collaboration under existing or new measures. There was also a presentation on water quality from an agriculture perspective. Ministers noted the presentation on water quality and the way in which science and innovation are being harnessed to improve water quality from an agricultural perspective. The Council welcomed the ongoing cooperation between both Administrations on addressing climate change and the loss of biodiversity in the agriculture sector. Ministers agreed that officials from DAFM and DAERA will explore the potential for increasing North/South cooperation on those issues. The Council agreed to hold its next agriculture meeting in autumn 2024. I welcome the re-establishment of formal NSMC meetings and look forward to working with my counterparts in the South in all areas of cooperation in the agriculture sector. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.

901 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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