CAP Evaluation
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The monitoring and evaluation of the CAP Strategic Plan is critical to our successful CAP implementation. It will ensure accountability, to allow for improvements in the design and targeting of support, to demonstrate the progress towards and achievement of established milestones and targets, and to achieve value for money in public funds.
In the 2023-2027 programming period, there will be a shift in policy focus from a compliance-based approach to a performance and results-based approach.
The new Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (PMEF) uses a set of common performance indicators including:
• output indicators for monitoring the implementation of the CAP
• result indicators to monitor EU countries’ progress towards pre-set targets
• context and impact indicators to assess the overall policy performance against CAP objectives.
We are responsible for implementing the framework at a national level, which measures the performance of the entire CAP. This includes both the monitoring of indicators and the evaluation of interventions from a predefined evaluation plan that must be adopted by the Monitoring Committee one year after the CAP Strategic Plan has been adopted.
Under the Framework, we will submit annual performance reports to the European Commission setting out key qualitative and quantitative information on the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan that will be used to monitor progress towards achieving programme milestones and targets.
In November 2022, we established a CAP Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee. The membership was approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D.
The Monitoring Committee meets at least once a year to review any issues that affect the CAP Strategic Plan achieving its targets. It will make observations and share opinion on elements of the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan.
Generally, it will make decisions by consensus. Wherever a vote may be necessary, each member of the Committee will have one vote. Tied votes will be decided by the chair.
Ireland as an EU member state can decide the composition of the Monitoring Committee.
The Committee must ensure a balanced representation of relevant public authorities, intermediate bodies, and representatives of the partners set out in the CAP Strategic Plan regulation.
These partners include climate, environmental, economic, and social partners as well as bodies responsible for promotion of social inclusion, fundamental rights, gender equality and non-discrimination. We developed the list of partners represented on the Monitoring Committee with consideration given to the necessary partners listed in the Strategic Plan regulation. Consideration was also given to the stakeholders that engaged with the consultation process during the development of the CAP Strategic Plan.
Representatives of the European Commission also participate in the work of the Monitoring Committee in an advisory capacity.
See full membership of the Monitoring Committee including stakeholders and representatives:
Rules of Procedure
Agendas
Presentations
Monitoring Committee Presentation 1 from 24 November 2022
Monitoring Committee Presentation 2 from 24 November 2022
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have commenced a National Habitats Monitoring Programme which will run from 2024 to 2031. Its aim is to assess the impact of CAP Strategic Plan interventions on habitats across the country. This Programme will aid in monitoring, reporting and verifying Ireland’s progress in achieving Specific Objective 6 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027 - to contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, enhancing ecosystem services and preserving habitats and landscapes.
The programme is being conducted by a consortium made up of Woodrow Sustainable Solutions, Studio Silva and BEC Consultants. The project covers 1,800 1km2 cells which have been selected at random for assessment, out of which 150 cells have been randomly chosen for field survey. Field surveys will be undertaken in 2024/2025 and will be repeated twice (every three years) over the nine-year project.
This work will form an important part of the evaluation plan for the CSP which was considered by the CSP Monitoring Committee.
If you would like to find out more about the project or if you have any queries, please contact CAP Strategic Plan Division by email at
capstrategicplan@agriculture.gov.ie or phone 01 6072248 or by post at CAP Strategic Plan Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.