The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dara Calleary T.D., welcomes the launch of a public consultation process on a draft Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report for the Agri-Food Strategy 2030.
Commenting on the consultation, Minister Calleary said
I am very pleased that in addition to consultation with the designated environmental authorities, my Department is conducting a wider non-statutory public consultation to help inform the scope of the environmental report for the Agri-Food Strategy 2030.
The agri-food sector is a key aspect of Ireland’s economy, community and culture, exporting to at least 175 countries around the world and contributing a significant aspect of Ireland’s global profile and reputation. The 2030 Strategy builds on its predecessor programmes; Food Harvest 2020 and most recently Food Wise 2025, the current agri-food strategy, which provides a strategy for smarter, greener, more sustainable growth of the industry.
Scoping is the process of determining the range and level of detail of the environmental issues to be taken forward in the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Agri-Food Strategy to 2030.
Opinions of consultees on the proposed methods, scope and areas of focus the Strategy should be forwarded before the closing date of 8 September.
Note to Editors:
The process for developing the next ten year strategy to replace Food Wise 2025 has commenced. As an important part of the development of the Agri-Food Strategy 2030, the Department has procured RSK Ireland Limited to prepare an environmental report of the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the Strategy.
This report will be carried out in accordance with EU Directive 2001/42/EC and the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004 (SI 435 of 2004).
Prior to making a decision on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in the environmental report, and in addition to consulting with the environmental authorities, a wider non-statutory public consultation to encourage further participation by stakeholders and the public is being undertaken in parallel.
In accordance with the provisions of article (11) of S.I. No. 435/2004 - European Communities (Environmental Assessment of certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2014 the report is required to include the information that may reasonably be required, taking into account:
- current knowledge and methods of assessment,
- the contents and level of detail in the plan,
- the stage of the plan in the decision-making process, and
- the extent to which certain matters are more appropriately assessed at different levels in the decision-making process in order to avoid duplication of environmental assessment.
Public Consultation:
A written submission or observation in relation to the scope and level of detail to be included in the environmental report may be provided as soon as possible, but no later than 8 September 2020.
The draft Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report is available online at: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agri-foodindustry/agri-foodandtheeconomy/agri-foodstrategyto2030/publicconsultation/