Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
973. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the effect of biodiversity loss on food system and supply chain resilience; the updated figures on the value and volume of agri-food imports for the 2019-2025 period; his views on the way the Government is taking steps to build sustainable food systems to ensure domestic food security, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12048/26]
View answerIn keeping with our approach to delivering sustainable agriculture and food as set out in Food Vision 2030, the growth of agri-food exports has been driven by value rather than volume in recent years. The midterm review of Food Vision 2030, which is underway, will ensure that it remains ambitious, focused, and responsive to evolving challenges and opportunities.
Ireland is among the most food secure countries in the world and was ranked second out of 113 countries in the most recent Global Food Security Index. The Teagasc Sustainability Report 2024 estimates that Irish farms produce sufficient protein to meet the requirements of over 30 million people. Our participation in EU single market and the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) is key to food security and the Government continues to support farmers through Ireland’s €9.8 billion CAP Strategic Plan 2023-27. I will continue to actively engage in current CAP negotiations to ensure an ambitious, workable and adequately funded CAP post-2027. Furthermore, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, of which I am a member, continues to support the work of the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism.
The current CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 is Ireland’s most ambitious in the environmental context. Our flagship Agri-environment scheme, ACRES, supports some 54,000 farmers in taking action on the environment and in particular in respect of Biodiversity, with over a million hectares scored for habitat condition. ECO Scheme and Organic Farming scheme also support implementation of Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan 2030-2030, with approximately 248,000 hectares (5.5% of agricultural land area) being farmed organically. My Department is committed to delivering for Biodiversity through the actions under the National Biodiversity Action Plan and supporting the National Park and Wildlife Services (NPWS) in the development of the Nature Restoration Plan. We continue to work closely with the NPWS in delivering biodiversity positive European Innovation Projects (EIPs).
Food Vision 2030 commits the seafood sector to continuing on a path of sustainable economic and environmental development by carefully managing sea-fisheries and aquaculture production activities. This objective goes hand-in-hand with ongoing actions for the sector under the current National Biodiversity Action Plan.
The table below presents the latest Central Statistics Office data available for agri-food imports for the 2019-2025 period. A breakdown by category is available in the attached tables.[<ahref="https:/data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/026-02-17_pq973-17-02-2026_en.xlsx">PQanswer</a>]
|
Period |
Value (Millions of Euro) |
Volume (Thousands of Tonnes) |
|
Jan-Dec 2019 |
9,995 |
11,899 |
|
Jan - Dec 2020 |
10,246 |
11,854 |
|
Jan - Dec 2021 |
10,021 |
11,230 |
|
Jan - Dec 2022 |
12,629 |
12,132 |
|
Jan - Dec 2023 |
13,242 |
12,182 |
|
Jan - Dec 2024 |
13,969 |
13,495 |
|
Jan - Nov 2025* |
13,618 |
12,888 |
