Vol. 438 No. 7
37 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to introduce individual base areas for cereal growers under the terms of recent CAP reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is my intention to introduce a system of individual base areas as soon as practicable after suitable rules have been adopted by the EU.
The rules as they now stand would present practical difficulties for farmers and my Department. They are also inadequate in that they do not contain any provisions which would cater for hardship cases or new entrants.
During the course of discussions at the Council of Agriculture Ministers last year I sought changes to the rules aimed at addressing these difficulties. As a result the Council formally invited the Commission last December to submit proposals, as soon as possible, to enable a detailed discussion to take place on the question of transition from regional to individual base areas, and in particular on the specific changes which I have sought.
