The issue of land availability and use will be the focus of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food this week.

Representatives from the Irish Land Observatory Stakeholder Group will appear before the committee in Leinster House on Wednesday afternoon (March 4).

The group has previously raised concerns about the issue of corporate purchases of land in this country.

Land availability

Speaking ahead of the meeting committee cathaoirleach Deputy Aindrias Moynihan said:

"The group comprises a coalition of farmers, researchers and advocates campaigning for a land observatory to monitor land ownership, price and usage in Ireland.

"They have brought these concerns to meetings in Brussels with MEPs and European Commission officials to call for a 'land observatory' in Ireland to combat corporate purchases of land and we look forward to receiving their insights from their experience," he said.

Deputy Moynihan said the committee will also discuss the group's concerns about "the challenges facing Ireland's agricultural sector including deforestation, biodiversity loss and climate change".

The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food has 14 members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

Farmland access

Meanwhile, the European Commission is to establish a new expert group to provide policy advice on access to farmland.

The Expert Group on Farmland (EGoF) is being set up to provide advice and expertise to the commission when preparing policy initiatives in the field of access to land and farmland regulations.

According to the commission, the group will also serve as a platform for cross-sector dialogue so that member states, land agencies and key stakeholders can collaborate and exchange knowledge on best practices, regulatory challenges, and innovative solutions.

This expert group is being seen as a precursor to the EU Observatory on Farmland, which was one of the recommendations in last year's Vision for Agriculture and Food in the EU.