A week is a long time in politics is a popular retort but the political events of the past week or so have been most unfortunate for the Irish agri-food sector, in the midst of a public health and economic crisis.

The resignation of Dara Calleary from his position of Minister for Agriculture, following the dismissal of Barry Cowen only a few short weeks ago is deeply concerning for everyone involved in the agri-food sector.

Additionally, the decision by the former EU Commissioner Phil Hogan to tender his resignation is very worrying, as Ireland has no guarantee that the powerful trade portfolio will transfer to his replacement.

The government must appoint a new Minister for Agriculture with experience and knowledge of the industry, as the new Minister must be in a position to hit the ground running. A new budget will be prepared within a matter of weeks, not to mention the challenges facing the sector, in relation to COVID-19, Brexit, CAP Reform and Environmental Sustainability.

The musical chairs in the Department of Agriculture has been very disruptive. We now need a new Minister that will bring stability and leadership to the Department of Agriculture, capable of representing Irish agriculture at home and abroad.  We can be reassured of the capabilities of the senior civil servants working in the Department of Agriculture, but they need the clear leadership of those electorally mandated to protect and promote the essential interests of our industry. 

The government must also consider carefully who to nominate to the European Commission to replace Phil Hogan.  The next Irish Commissioner must possess a CV with the qualifications needed to hold onto the trade job, which is a heavyweight economic portfolio at EU level. The former Commissioner was a formidable presence in Brussels and was centrally involved in the current EU-UK trade negotiations, as well as critical trade talks with the USA.

In spite of the debacle that has unfolded over the past week, it’s time to get on with the job of navigating the Irish economy and the Irish agri-food sector through the twin challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit.

Eamonn Farrell, Agri-Food Policy Executive