Deputy Noel Coonan
On Monday, Fine Gael Party Leader Enda Kenny announced new Deputy Spokespersons in the Dáil and Tipperary North TD Noel Coonan was among one of those allocated specialist responsibility.
Deputy Noel Coonan, speaking to www.thurles.info,welcomed his new appointment as Deputy Spokesperson on Agriculture with special responsibility for CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) Reform.
Deputy Coonan will now leave his present portfolio as Deputy Spokesperson on Communications with responsibility for Telecommunications and will be convening with Front Bench Agriculture Spokesperson Andrew Doyle TD to assess how he can best contribute to the development and communication of the Party’s Agricultural policies in preparation for the next general election.
“I am very pleased with my new role and being a farmer myself, it is a position I feel knowledgeable in and comfortable with. I will continue to engage with farmers throughout the North Tipperary constituency to discuss CAP reform with the target of having new policy in place by 2013. I’m also kindly urging farmers who have views on this topic to contact me. It’s important that the budget for post 2013 CAP is sufficient to fund the essential role CAP plays in increasing agricultural productivity, ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural community and assuring the availability of supplies. What is also vital is that the reformed policy actively encourages more young farmers into the fold with only 7% of the EU’s farmers under 35 years of age,” said Deputy Coonan.
Commenting on his new appointments, Party Leader Enda Kenny TD stated on Monday:
“Following on from the Front Bench announcement in July, these appointments of Deputy Spokespersons and the allocations of special responsibilities today, are another important step in the strengthening of Fine Gael’s team in Dáil Eireann. The calibre of today’s appointments underlines the depth and strength of talent in the overall Fine Gael team and I am confident that we will win the support of the Irish people, when they get the opportunity to vote for a new government.”
The Treaty of Rome provided for the establishment of CAP and same financing comes from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund which is an integral part of the EU Budget.
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