The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 21 May, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 Jan, 2020 to 30 Apr, 2020

Specific Details Aquaculture – Need for strong EU Supports in the COVID-19 Emergency

Intended results Keeping the Market Operational • Swift action is required at Government and EU Commission level in order to support the aquaculture sector in order to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and protect the food supply chain. • The first priority must be to keep the sector operational and keep routes to markets open. This is essential at national level and also in terms of exports to the EU Single Market, the UK market and international markets. Providing Liquidity to Irish Aquaculture operators • Unlocking the available EMFF funds, including amendment of the Regulation (EU) No. 508/2014, Article 55, to allow flexibility to include - The EMFF may contribute directly to fish or shellfish farmers or to mutual funds which pay financial compensation to fish or shellfish farmers for economic losses caused by a public health crisis, adverse climatic events or by environmental incidents. - The level of participation of EMFF in the contributions should be exceptionally set at 80% in the event of a health crisis caused by a viral epidemic in the population. - Member States to be allowed, in the event of a public health crisis caused by an epidemic in the population and by deviation from the general rules of the Structural Funds, to draw up a highly simplified form of request for aid and to immediately pay out available funds. - Underspend of existing EMFF funds should be redirected and distributed as financial aid for the Irish aquaculture industry to assist them to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. - Simplification of the administrative procedures for aquaculture access funds to assist cash flow. - In light of the urgent need of financial aid for the aquaculture sector during the current crisis, consideration must be given to relaxing state aid rules for grant aid eligibility to access available funds for aquaculture operators. - Making operational costs and damages caused by the COVID-19 emergency eligible. Managing Farmed Fish and Shellfish Stocks - The Government and the EU must support innovative and viable ways to manage the stocking density. • Cold storage of fish and shellfish has additional costs (which are very high just now because of a national and European shortage of cold storage space). A storage aid scheme for produce that is struggling to find a market at the moment to ensure that a floor is held under prices and that processing can continue to take place. • Purchasing of the excess fish production directly by the State or European Union, and/or diverting fish/shellfish sales to public procurement (public canteens, hospitals, military, etc).

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan - IFA President, Michael Mulloy IFA Aquaculture Chairman, Damian McDonald IFA Director General

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (1)

Letter (2-5)

Submission (1)

Social Media (2-5)

Phone call (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jonathan Hoare Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Mairead McGuinness MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Matt Carthy MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Creed Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Philip O'Callaghan Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Cecil Beamish Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)