Blog: My Weekly Update; Two official visits, the Royal Highland Show, launching the European fi-compass conference, launching the AgriAware CAP Campaign and colleagues staying and leaving. - Hoofdinhoud

My first stop following Council last week was in Scotland. In what was my first official visit, I spent three days with a packed schedule allowing me to speak to a wide range of players within the Scottish agricultural sphere and allowing me to get a greater understanding of their know rural affairs issues.

I kicked off my visit to Scotland with a meeting with the Scottish Agriculture Secretary, Richard Lochhead MSP, before joining him at a meeting with a range of stakeholders from across the Scottish agri-food sector. On Thursday morning, I appeared on BBC Radio Scotland's 'Good Morning Scotland' programme. If you missed it, have a listen here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hf7

My next stop was the Scottish Parliament where I addressed the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee. Speaking on the CAP, I had some very important questions arising from the members of the parliament and a constructive debate on the most pertinent issues affecting Scotland.

The highlight of my trip to Scotland was the Royal Highland Show, which this year celebrated its 175th year and is one of the largest shows of its kind anywhere in Europe. I was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to speak at the Presidential Seminar on the problems of communication in rural areas. It is an issue about which I feel very strongly and it is no exaggeration to say that the future of farming, of rural entrepreneurship, and indeed of our rural communities relies on the rural right to fast internet connectivity. I reiterated the necessity of this connectivity alongside such distinguished guests as the RHASS President RT. Hon the Lord Michael Forsyth and the Secretary of State for Scotland Rt. Hon David Mundell, MP. €6.4 billion from the EU's structural and investment funds will finance the roll-out of high speed broadband in rural areas across the EU.

Some notable prizes were also awarded on the day, not only to the "Soil of the Show" winner David Scott-Park of Portnellan Farm, but also to the Champion of the Show!

As I said before, I believe that the more the EU institutions engage with and listen to national parliaments, the healthier it is for the functioning of the EU. This was an interesting week where I had the opportunity to do this not once, but twice.

After travelling to Scotland I returned to Ireland. As part of my trip, I was delighted to attend and speak at the first of four regional conferences to launch of the European fi-compass conference on financial instruments, which took place at the Convention Centre on Tuesday. I was particularly pleased to see such a broad range of representatives at the event which was attended by Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, EIB Bank Vice President Molterer, Chair of the European Parliament Agriculture Committee Czeslaw Siekierski MEP and Irish Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney TD. I am confident that the presence of An Taoiseach and Minister Coveney is indicative of the support of the Irish government for this important initiative, which has enormous potential for farmers and rural communities throughout Europe.

This launch was the culmination of months of work where I have been working with the European Investment Bank to tailor a Fund ordering cheap finance over a 15-20 year period to farmers wishing to upgrade and expand their production. As I have said in my speech, I am committed to offering the agriculture sector across Europe the supports it needs under the Rural Development Programme so it can create jobs and boost growth. This launch was an opportunity to reiterate this and to posit the potential to build a foundation for intelligent agriculture of the future using financial building blocks available to us in the present.

My trip to Dublin saw me address the Seanad, the upper house of the Irish Parliament, to speak on the historic relationship between Ireland and the EU and where I was presented with the Agriculture Committee report on CAP simplification. It was something of a 'homecoming' for me, as I served as a member of the Seanad from 1987 to 1989. I greatly value the opportunity to engage with members of national parliaments, as the democratically elected representatives of the citizens of Europe. As an island, being part of a Union has transformed Ireland's horizons and opened up new opportunities for Irish people right across Europe in business, education and in many other spheres. As a former member of both Houses of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Eireann and Seanad Éireann) and a former member of the Irish government, I was among colleagues and friends. I had the honour to sign the visitor's book alongside the Seanad Cathaoirleach, Senator Paddy Burke.

It was also great to launch the AgriAware CAP communication campaign this week at Dublin Zoo. AgriAware does very valuable work in communicating the value of the CAP, particularly to non-farming audiences. I am firmly of the belief that we need to build on this kind of work and establish a firmer connection between urban and rural communities across the EU.

Speaking at the Teagasc National Launch of the Strategic Plan for Advisory Services with Teagasc Director, Prof Gerry Boyle, was another highlight of my trip. I had the opportunity to emphasise the importance of and commitment to research, innovation and knowledge transfer for improving jobs and growth within the agricultural sector.

Back in Brussels, a reshuffle of the Director's General has just been announced and I am delighted that Jerzy Plewa is staying on as Director General of DG AGRI. I look forward to a continuing good relationship with him and our colleagues at DG AGRI in the future. I also want to congratulate one of DG AGRI's Deputy Director General, Monique Pariat, on her appointment as Director General of DG ECHO. I have no doubt that Monique will bring her experience and talent to this challenging position.

The reshuffle of DG's of course wasn't the only change of position mentioned at the weekly College meeting yesterday. It was announced that Commission Secretary General, Catherine Day, will be retiring in the coming months. At risk of repeating myself, I will say that jobs don't come much bigger than running the European Commission and Catherine Day has done that brilliantly for 10 years with consummate professionalism, total integrity, a clear sense of purpose and unmatched skill. While she mastered every detail of every file and was always ahead of everyone else, she is also someone of enormous warmth, good humour and great company. Catherine is a true ambassador for her profession and for Ireland. She will be an enormous loss to Brussels. I wish her every happiness in the next chapter of her life.