The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 21 Jan, 2021

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Trade

Period 1 Sep, 2020 to 31 Dec, 2020

Specific Details IFA 3-Step Brexit Emergency Plan

Intended results Step 1 - Securing a deal Trading conditions with the UK • Trade must be on the basis of tariff-free and quota-free access to the UK market. • The UK must respect the level playing field by maintaining corresponding standards on food safety, animal health and welfare, and the environment. • No return by the UK to a cheap food policy. Future UK trade policy must not be allowed to undercut the EU for sensitive products such as beef, butter, cheddar cheese and lamb through lower tariffs or higher Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for third country imports. Full respect for the Irish Protocol – Deal or No-Deal • To ensure unimpeded cross-border trade in goods between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland as currently applies. Regulations at borders • Minimise time consuming administration and transit delays for shipping to or through Great Britain in the context of the Landbridge. • Fullest co-operation from the UK authorities to ensure the effective implementation of Green Lanes for the unimpeded transit of Irish trucks using the Landbridge to access the EU market. Step 2 - Preparing the EU market for a limited-deal or no-deal Suspension of EU imports • Imports of sensitive products from third countries, meat and dairy in particular, must be suspended. • Current beef imports from Mercosur countries of circa 250,000t should be stopped immediately. This is consistent with the recent vote in the EU Parliament against ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Suspension of EU trade negotiations on sensitive products • In any on-going negotiations with third countries, EU market access for sensitive products is off the table, until such time as there is full clarity as to the impact on the EU and global markets of the UK's exit from the EU. Suspension of State Aid rules • The current suspension of State aid rules due to COVID-19 must be extended to allow member states to fully play their part in supporting the agriculture sector against the damage of Brexit from 1st January 2021. Support for direct shipping to the EU - Deal or No-Deal • Immediate support for necessary infrastructure, including port facilities and shipping capacity in order to provide substantially increased regular, frequent, direct sea shipping links between Ireland and continental EU ports. Step 3 - Supporting farmers in a limited-deal or no-deal €5bn EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund • This must be scaled up as necessary to fully compensate farmers in all scenarios • Supports to farmers - A majority portion of the €5bn EU Fund must be targeted to support Irish farmers whose incomes will be by far worst affected by Brexit. • Support for any necessary long-term structural adjustment, funded on a multi-annual basis. Full compensation for any losses arising from Brexit including Sterling volatility • Across all sectors – including beef, dairy, sheep, mushrooms, horticulture, cereals, pigs and poultry meat and seafood, which all stand to lose out substantially Market disturbance and erosion of the incumbent importer position • Implementation of EU emergency measures funded from non-CAP resources, as in response to the 2014 Russian Embargo, to mitigate the impact on markets, produce and farmer prices and incomes of disturbances arising from the exit of the UK from the EU. • The EU must be prepared to deploy the full range of market supports, including intervention, APS, export refunds and export credit insurance and legislate for these as necessary to protect producers against losses and stabilise markets. Further strengthening of the Government's Brexit contingency fund for 2021 • The contingency allocation of €110m to Agriculture for 2020 must be rolled over and increased for 2021. Loyalty to Irish product • Irish food processors with UK-based processing facilities must show loyalty to Irish product, in particular Irish beef, over third country imports.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Bryan Barry IFA Deputy Director General, Liam MacHale IFA Director Brussels, John Curran IFA Meath Chairman, Nigel Reneghan IFA Regional Chairman

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? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? To lobby Oireachtas Members on IFA's Brexit Emergency Plan

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All TDs

Submission All TDs

Letter All Senators

Submission All Senators

Letter All MEPs

Submission All MEPs

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (6-10)

Email (11-20)

Informal communication (6-10)

Virtual Meeting (2-5)

Social Media (2-5)

Submission (1)

Letter (1)

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.

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)

Damien English TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Martin Heydon Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Josepha Madigan Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Ossian Smyth Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

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

John Callinan Second Secretary General (Department of the Taoiseach)

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Paul Savage Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)

Mary Butler Minister of State (Department of Health)

Vincent P Martin Senator (Seanad)

Pippa Hackett Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Robert Troy Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Mairead McGuinness MEP (European Parliament)

Malcolm Noonan Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

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

Diarmuid Lynch Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)