Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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387. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the cross-Border Project Ireland 2040 infrastructure projects and the funding allocated for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [53838/21]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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388. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of his Department’s current cross-Border initiatives, goods and or services committed to and the funding allocated to each for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [53856/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together.

There is significant mutually beneficial co-operation across the island of Ireland in respect of the agri-food sector and my Department is directly involved in ongoing and frequent North-South engagement on a range of issues.

This involves on-going contact between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and interested parties in the food, agriculture and fishing sectors in both jurisdictions.

Work is also undertaken in the context of advancing our priorities on the agreed areas of co-operation under the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC).

The NSMC meets in the agriculture sector to consider decisions on common policies and approaches under the mandated areas of Common Agriculture Policy issues, Animal and Plant Health policy, and Rural Development. There are also important ongoing North-South interactions on EU research funding and farm safety.

North-South co-operation in the area of agriculture has helped deliver policy objectives of joint interest in the areas of animal and plant health, animal welfare and food safety.

The All-Island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy facilitates cooperation across a range of areas including veterinary medicines, cross-border laboratory collaboration, efforts to combat animal diseases, and the exchange of data to facilitate the movement of bovine animals.

In relation to plant health, a steering group oversees cooperation on areas of mutual interest across plant health and pesticides including implementing agreed strategies and providing technical development support to eradicate and control plant diseases, such as the All Ireland Chalara Control Strategy.

My Department is not involved in any cross-border Project Ireland 2040 infrastructure projects.