Vol. 407 No. 3
15 Mr. Kavanagh asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the latest position adopted by him in relation to proposed reform of the CAP and in particular if he proposes to publish a White Paper on the subject.
21 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he intends contacting the Heads of Government of EC states to impress upon them the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
66 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in view of the implications for the Irish economy in general and for employment in the food and agri-supply industries in particular of the reforms of the Common Agriculture Policy tabled by the EC Commission, he will initiate a series of visits to the Prime Ministers of all EC states to impress upon them the unique dependence of Ireland on agriculture-related employment.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 21 and 66 together.
The Commission's specific proposals in relation to CAP reform have not been tabled as yet and, in fact, it is likely to be some months before they are formally proposed. The Government will obviously be giving the most detailed consideration to the reform proposals that ultimately emerge from the Commission and, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, I will be entering into discussions with the various organisations concerned on the approach to be adopted throughout the negotiations. I believe that these arrangements should ensure the most widespread debate on the reforms and on the position which Ireland will adopt in the discussions in the Council later in the year.
On the basis of the ideas contained in the reflections paper on the development and future of the Common Agricultural Policy which was presented to the Agriculture Council on 4 February I have, however, already initiated a series of bilateral consultations, at both political and official level, with the Commission and other member states. The Government believe that these consultations, which are again in line with a commitment in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, are a vital element in presenting our views on matters relating to the Common Agricultural Policy and in ensuring that our Community partners are fully appraised of the unique importance of agriculture to Ireland's national economy. The Deputies can be assured that I will continue to make use of all appropriate means for communicating our concerns to other governments and to the Commission and in impressing on them the need to maintain an effective Common Agricultural Policy which recognises the diversity of Community agriculture and pays particular attention to the requirements of economies such as Ireland's which are heavily dependent on agriculture.
