Minister Heydon and Minister Dooley to attend AgriFish Council meeting in Brussels
- Published on: 26 January 2026
- Last updated on: 26 January 2026
Speaking ahead of today’s meeting of the AgriFish Council in Brussels, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, TD, said:
Today’s meeting provides an opportunity to discuss a range of issues at the heart of the current EU agriculture agenda. These include the opportunities associated with the bioeconomy, the importance of EU food security and trade-related issues. I will also take the opportunity to highlight the importance of ensuring that the Common Agricultural Policy remains the primary tool to underpin food production, stabilise farm incomes and support rural communities. The agenda will also include a discussion on a targeted amendment of the organic farming regulation.”
Minister Heydon continued:
“In relation to trade, I will highlight the importance of market diversification, including through the finalisation of EU Free Trade Agreements, while also restating the need to protect vulnerable sectors. In the latter regard, I have been very clear about Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement, and particularly its potential impact on the beef sector.”
“I will also reiterate my concerns in relation to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation. Fertiliser is a critical input cost for Irish and EU agriculture, and the potential impact of the CBAM regulation on fertiliser costs risks the undermining of farm competitiveness, food production and sector sustainability.”
Noting that this is the first Council under the Cyprus Presidency, Minister Heydon concluded:
“I wish the Cyprus Presidency well with its work programme for the next six months. Of course, with less than six months remaining to Ireland’s presidency of the EU, I look forward to working closely with Cyprus to ensure that we deliver for all of the EU in 2026.”
Also commenting ahead of today’s meeting, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, TD, said:
"Today I am raising the need for urgent EU action regarding Third Countries fishing at unsustainable levels for Mackerel in the North East Atlantic. I am calling for an urgent concerted response from the EU to send a strong message to the Coastal States negotiators who are meeting today in London. I will also be calling on the Commission to make sectoral support available through emergency market measures for impacted fishers. I echo Minister Heydon's well wishes for the Cyprus Presidency as we commence a very important work programme for 2026."