An Taoiseach Micheál Martin has stated that he expects Ireland will manage to steer EU member states into a consensus on CAP reform amid the most significant shakeup in the EU budget witnessed in recent years.

The confidence comes as the current round of CAP reform sees MEPs and member states at loggerheads over the size and structure of the EU’s flagship farm policy.

Budget conscious member states have been keen to trim EU spending on agriculture, while MEPs are looking to maintain CAP’s current funding levels on an inflation-adjusted basis.

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The wider EU budget debate must be settled before the CAP can be finalised, with Ireland hopeful of securing spending agreement before the end of the year when it will conclude its Council of the EU presidency term.

At the official opening of Tullamore Show on Sunday, an Taoiseach heralded the agri-food sector as “Ireland’s largest indigenous exporting industry”.

“It plays a vital role in the Irish economy, as well as in rural life in general, and it makes an essential contribution to food security across Europe and globally,” he said.

“The Government knows in particular how important the CAP is to Ireland and Ireland’s farmers.

“Negotiations on the CAP post-2027 are progressing within the wider context of the EU’s next budget what’s called the Multi-Annual Financial Framework.”

The Taoiseach signalled that the European Commission’s plans unveiled just over one year ago “represent one of the most significant reforms to EU funding delivery in recent years”.

He stated that the intent to merge CAP’s currently standalone budget into a larger fund that caters for non-farming spend must be struck with balance as CAP funds “underpin our food security, our competitiveness and economic viability of many areas in Ireland and across the EU”.

“I am confident that we can see progress on the remaining elements of the CAP regulation and that we can build consensus on the future CAP framework.”

The Taoiseach pointed to the “very high value and very high quality” of Ireland’s agri-food sector as key drivers of recent years’ export growth.

“What is clear from today from this show is that this value reputation is a well deserved one and is clearly evident from the abundant high-quality produce across the grounds.”